New School...New Friends...New Teachers.

New school, new experience.... this moment I have been waiting since the day that Amelia was born (2009). Since then it was the most hardiest motherhood experience I have ever been through in my entire life (I know I'm being dramatic ). I say this because I did it without my mother,.my girl never got to meet their grandmother, she left too soon. OK tears are dry up now, I'm ready to keep writing. This past September was the day the girls started a new school...together!! I felt like a million dollars about this, it just makes my life a little bit less stressful. It was Amelia's best friend mother that push me to put the girls in charter school, I had my bad experience in Joannelly previous school and I didn't want Amelia to start kindergarten in that same school. Jojo was in public school and I'm not saying that ALL public schools are bad then again I just felt that I did my part as parent to help my child in school but I felt the work wasn't enough. I had another public school I wanted the girls to attend a pretty good public school closer to home, Amelia got accepted but it would be a little difficult for Joannelly to get in. I didn't want the to deal with the transferring Jojo to different schools it worried me a little, I had bad experience with transferring schools growing up, it sort of affected my social skills.
From preK- to elementary school i have attended about 5 different school before i reach the 4th grade, i was known as the "quiet kid" I rarely made any "close" friends. As a patent I didn't want my girls to go through that experience, I'm sure other parents have their concerns about transferring their child depending on the circumstances and then there are others that don't have a problem because they are looking out for their child best academic interest. The reason why I decided to take the risk of transferring was because I got tired of getting no answers in Jojo school, tired of hearing other parents saying "my child is in 1st grade reading at 2nd grade level" or "the teachers didn't go over that in class". I needed to do something about it...make that change that will improve their intelligence, cause Yes these kids of this generation are much smarter these days, it's the school system that needs to update their hardware of teaching. Their are kids doing homework or projects on all these new technologies. And I want my kids to be one of them, although we do get the "I can't do it" phase with our children but we they just don't to do the work, that's when we find alternatives in their learning. OK back to the new school....it's a charter school however it's still a public school it just doesn't follow the public school systems or teaching technique.

 I have my pro's and con's about charter school but what I can say is that the school really embrace the students abilities to learn and that outshines the con's. My girls love their new school, teachers and made friends pretty quickly. I love love love LOVE..it's the same homework for each grade! what I mean by that is...all first graders have the same homework and all kindergartners have their homework the same. So no matter what class they are in the students would be on the same page. I like that the students can move up a grade or if the teachers feel that the student needs just a little more help goes down a grade but never hurt their self-esteem because the student has a chance to go to the grade they started before the end of the school year. I like this idea because it doesn't back track the teachers and their lesson plan, it keeps a steady academic flow. I love my girls and I want the best for them like all parents do however I'll be just as excited if they WANT the best for themselves because they love the challenge of learning.

 These charter school scholars work really hard with their teachers practicing for the state exams which is why they have longer school days and shorter holiday off, they waste no time. So as I sit in on my with my tired scholar (Jojo) who is taking a nap as I write this it's only my first experience at a charter school and it may not apply to most charter schools but I know my girls are getting the education they deserve. OK now I have to stop writing cause my little one (Amelia) is climbing the walls in my room dancing in her sister Christmas dress from last year showing me her "Dancing Queen" moves beside that, I have to start dinner before daddy gets home or else I would be getting a survey title "Why is dinner not done yet I'm starving". So......

Until the next Blog....

Spring Break Vaca "Science Fair Project/ Homework Day"

Its the last day of the girls spring break vacation!! I'm excited they go back to school tomorrow and they are excited too!. Today's plan was to work on Jojo science fair project for school. It was really fun to do although i did most of the work and she did the drawings and some writings. While working on the project, it brought a lot of memories of my middle school years when i used to class group projects. I didn't have a problem doing the crafting part of the project, i just really didn't like the writing and doing the research part of the project. When ever i'm doing any kind of work i procrastinate a lot, like right now i am procrastinating on the projects i want to for my sister baby shower. I know it's bad and i have to stop wasting time cause the baby shower is in a few weeks!. We spend the whole day working on this project while Amelia was finishing up her PreK homework. Our science fair project was about plant growth and development, we wrote about onions being propagating planting more onions. The finishing product looks amazing done since i was the one who help her set it up, the science fair is next month so i hope i get to the work at the fair. It was a really fun and busy spring break vacation for both the girls and i. I am glad i decided to this these activities for the girls. It was all about planing base on your budget, cause we don't want to spend so much especially if we have children, unless we can afford to, in this case i was able to afforad these activities. Also do your research you never know what deals you can get, just because i travel a lot to the city doesn't everything we did was expensive. So i hope you all readers enjoyed reading our daily vacation blogs, don't forget to leave comments and you thoughts on each day. We really appericate the time you take into reading our blogs. I had so much fun writing and share our adventure with you all and....

Until the next Blog....

Spring Break Vaca Day 8 "Not Myself Day"

Mondays for me are my lazy days but this Monday i wasn't feeling like my usual self. As a mother its understandable we have those "not myself" days where our body is there but our minds are in a different worlds. And that is exactly how i felt today, i needed to get out the house for some fresh air to get my mind back to my body. It got worst till the point i ended up having an argument with my husband to the point that i found out why i was feeling the way i was feeling. Have you ever had one of those day?? I would like to know what you have done to cope with your "not myself" day. I didn't get to do laundry yesterday and it gave me the opportunity to get that fresh air i needed. The girls and i did just that and while the clothes were getting dry we went to the same pizza shop (which is now our favorite pizza shop) to get lunch and to the discount store a few stores down to finish buying all the stuff for JoJo science fair. I felt a little ok while folding the clothes, it was just something about folding clothes that keep mind off what i was thinking. It's always go to find that one thing that helps cope with your "not myself day" and its ok to get these days we are human not a machine.

Today's plan was "homework day", the girls had to finish up any homework before they go back to school this Wednesday. That plan did not go as plan but it's ok. When we were heading back home i notice Joannelly outfit and she reminded me of a little girl from our favorite store series, "
 Fancy Nancy" Its about a little girl who finds anything she does and wares very fancy to her. She love all those fabulous things and walks around like she is very fancy wearing all the girly clothes,bags and shoe. Joannelly does the same-thing she finds what she wears very fancy. I love that JoJo can pick out her own outfit, she is growing up so fast and doing thing own her own being a little more independent. I am not ready for them to grow up but i do have to prepare for those stages. The girls have one day left to their spring break vacation but surprising they are happy to go back school.

Until the next Blog...

Spring Break Vaca Day 7 "Easter Day"

 Happy Easter Everyone!!

Our Easter was kind of a mellow one, only because i woke up really late and the girls got home from their sleepover. Our plan for today was to spend Easter at my grandma house but instead we stay home. i Didn't want to ruin the activities of the day which was coloring Easter eggs and some Easter treats.The day was spent cleaning up my kitchen cabinets, cleaning out all these bugs that we really hate so we hire an exterminator. So hubby and i are very tired, the girls were pondering around the house saying "i'm bored mommy!!" As tired i was i didn't want to leave my girls hanging and it's Easter they were expecting some fun activities i had store for them to do. The first activity, which it was mostly eating, I had made some jell-o Easter jiggles a few days ago (maybe Friday) and today they go to eat them. The next thing on our agenda was to decorate some eggs, i did't have any so i had to go downstairs to buy some. The girls had so much fun decorating the eggs, tinting the eggs and painting them too. The last thing we did was made cupcakes! Not just any cupcakes but Easter Baskets Cupcakes!! Joannelly was really into making these cupcakes i guess she get that enthusiastic from me i'm a baker myself (just not a professional one) Amelia just wanted to eat her cupcake, can't blame her. I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter, not much for me to write i'm so tired and i will call it night.

Until the next Blog!..

   

(Jojo's Cupcake is the first one..lol)

Spring Break Vaca Day 4 "Lunch/Movie Date Day "

It is getting closer to the end of the week and so far has been bittersweet. For the first time in my life i am actually enjoying this Spring Break Vacation, growing up i do remember my mother doing fun things with us what we had consider fun. Our fun growing up was making home videos and being very creative at home or outside at the park. So today's adventure was a movie date with Amelia's friend from school. We went to see Rio 2 which was a lovely movie to watch and it was funny too. I love how the birds were singing and made the performance looked so beautiful and colorful making me want to go to Brazil even though the birds were in the amazon (not the website..lol) I honestly can say that i love this sequel better than the first movie, i just hope there's no part 3 cause there are movies that don't need a sequel and then there are movie that do need a sequel just to give the title a good name.

            We had lunch at Applebee's before we went to the theaters, i order both the girls the same thing, chicken tender with fries. Knowing my girls and the fact that kids do this, they didn't finish all their food. Parenting tip #1 If you are in a budget and don't want to spend a lot when out at a restaurant with your kids just ordering one meal for the kids (if they are little kids) or order the same thing for the kids and order yourself the appetizers that way at the end we eat the kids leftover there's nothing wrong with that. This method worked for me only because i had breakfast and hour an half before we ate lunch i wasn't that hungry. So i spend $25 on us three, that's two entrees, an appetizer and three drinks (water, apple juice and ice tea). I had to stop by one the department store at the plaza before we went to the theaters, i had to buy Jojo some cough drops. I was fortunate to have Amelia's friend whose mother is a paramedic she was able to recommend cough drops that were suitable for Joannelly. Parenting tip #2 reward cards are your friend! I was able to spend nothing from my pocket when i got the large bottle of water from the movies, that water cost $4.75 i was able to use my reward card from the movies to pay for it, you can also use it on movie tickets too! So if you don't have one i suggest you get one. The girls and i really had a gracious evening with Amelia's friend and her family.

 I delighted myself with this yummy chocolate snack from Brookside, i found an interest in eat different kind of foods into my diet. I was hearing and seeing the fruit called Goji Berries not sure what it was so i did some research, found out that Goji berries are from china and they are really good for you. It helps with your immune system as well as good source for anti-aging and the other good stuff for our bodies. After seeing its at the supermarket once then i see everyone buying them i finally got my hands on the Brookside Dark Chocolate Goji and Raspberry snack. The rest of the evening was spent at home, usually we would be home by 6-7pm and yes i know its late but this time we got home at 5 way before daddy got home from work. Parenting Tip #3 To get your partner to do the things they least like to do, use their own words against them. This method only work if you know your partner very well this may or may not work but the key to a healthy relationship is compromise not everyone does it or like it but can't keep a car going if you don't give it gasoline. My husband, i know him well enough to make this method work... keep in mind i do it with love and respect. As tired as he was i use his word against him to put Jojo to bed he didn't like it but i stated everything he use to say to me whether its about cleaning the house or being the provider of the house and i use the key word "your baby girl wants her daddy" Parenting tip #4 Our children's comfort comes first then ours. We went back and forth with each other, its all about using your words very sweet and kind so what i said was " If you complain about keeping the house clean how can i clean the dishes if the girls are going to keep getting up from the bed, i need your help to keep them in bed". Like i said that method only works if you really know your partner if not there will be consent arguments. Is not easy having the "growing old together" relationship, i mean its works for some relationship and for other it don't but as we get older we are learning everyday. My husband and i are the same age we are a young couple but what makes our relationship fresh is that before our relationship we are best-friends and i know we have a lot of learning to do. Our Spring Break is not over yet so...

Until the next Blog.....

The Hubs Birthday

Yesterday was my husbands birthday. I was trying to get the girls excited to celebrate daddy's birthday since they were so tired from walking and being in school all day. We made a stop to Rite Aide cause Amelia wanted a toy and I felt bad that i pick up jojo 20 minutes late from school, I felt the need to get her something. We ended up buying daddy his birthday present. By the time we got home I was able to prepare a nice meal before hubby got home from work. I didn't get to finish setting up his birthday table but thankfully he did. Our menu for dinner was brown rice, baked porkchops with parmesan cheese and caramelized onions with peppers,  then some spanish beans to put over the rice. We also had diced cherry tomatoes with kettle corn bites salad with a tastful vinaigrette, simple and easy to make. To finish off the meal a nice Entemann's chocolate fudge square cake.  Daddys surprise dessert was left for another day.  The hubbs was very surprised about everything but I was so beat trying to get things done with no car, two tired girls and this rainy day!!! But all ended peacefully and everyone enjoyed the the day. I love doing small birthdays like these because even though we don't have alot in our pockets to plan big parties and we living on a budget, its the small things that make it very special. So HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the man in my life and in hopes he gets better from the cold.

Until the next Blog.

New Resolutions 2014: Bathroom Makeover

As part of my "Make it happen" resolutions I've decided to renovate my apartment and i wanted to start small. So i took advantage of my bathroom since i needed to clean it up...i figure why not go all the way. Took a trip to Marshalls with the family to find any goodies for my bathroom and i wanted to try a totally different style and color. My only problem with my bathroom that i couldn't change it up a bit was my tile patterned floor. I'm not a professional designer or went to school for it but i knew there was no way to over come that floor so i decided to keep the color and work with it. I am not getting from Marshalls but i am giving them credit in helping me redecorate my bathroom. I'm not done its just a start but i will update my final look for my bathroom when its done. 

Bella Lux Shower Liners - $14.99
Bath Hotel Shower Liner - $4.99
Bathroom floor mat - $9.99

What are your have your started for your "Make it Happen" resolutions?? 

Until the next blog...

Resolutions vs Finish What I Started in 2013

"New Year New Beginnings"....That's what everyone is saying nowadays but to me its more like "what i didn't finish in 2013 i will accomplished them in 2014".Many people believe that just because its a new year new goals, unless you completed your 2013 goals then yeah there's room for new goals in  2014. My goals for this year is to make things happen. If there is something i want to do this year or go somewhere, my goal is to make it happen. I have family trips i want to do this year, new experiences to try like continuing this  blog to see how far it goes. Also improve my cake decorating skills and my YouTube channel. Explore new things with my family like family workshops, Broadway shows, family events, site seeings, fitness, healthy eating, new look, home makeover etc. So this year is all about MAKING IT HAPPEN! 

 What do you want to make happen this year??

Until next Blog...