I did it! After years of back and forth, I finally decided to dust off my blog and bring it back to life. That being said a whole lot has happened since I last posted, the main one being I purchased my first home! A 1200sq foot Foursquare that I’m slowly DIY’ing into my version of a French Country cottage with touches of Transitional and Modern Organic interior design styles. One of the ways I’m achieving this Shabby Chic style I’m going for is with lighting. A few of the featured light fixtures are currently installed in my home and others I cannot wait to incorporate, to add more of ..read more

For the last 10 months, 2020 has been under the coronavirus pandemic and while it may be scary for many of us, winter throws a greater risk of being affected by this virus in one way or another. To help keep yourself, friends, neighbors, and your loved ones safe, there are a few things to help you that you can continue to keep doing today until you receive proper care. Hand Washing Encouragement: This is a very special and important step to not only have become a habit for yourself but also if you have young children. Have them starting getting a routine of washing their hands every single d ..read more

Disclosure: This is a sponsored guest post. Why is asking for help so hard? A mom has to be strong for everyone. In the beginning after she's given birth, it's impossible for her to be that person that does it all for everyone, as well as for herself. There should not be shame in asking for help, but unfortunately, there is. You see, as a mom, there are certain things that ring in our ears. “Welcome to parenthood!” “That’s just part of being a mom.” “Suck it up - you have eighteen years of this!” ...and more. We hear so much about “this is what you signed up for,” that a lot of moms become as ..read more

I cannot believe my first born baby turned 10 this year! We have these big plans of paying off debt and saving for a house but that did not stop me from wanting to celebrate Naliya in a big way. She is really into Japanese cuisine and culture. What better way to celebrate than with a surprise Japanese dinner party.  I purchased the majority of decor from Amazon , you can view the items here. My husband and I also went to an Asian market in Mitsuwa in Edgewater, NJ as well as Daiso, a Japanese dollar store to pick up a few treats and authentic items. I reuse pretty much the ..read more

I suppose a part of me has always enjoyed photography but it was not until being fully immersed in all things blogging that I had to tap into those skills a bit. A big part of blogging is taking photos, my abilities and curiosity in the field has grown over the years. There have been a few camera upgrades, some reading and videos to help along the way but it was not until this past year (2019) that I finally decided "this would be the year I actually feel confident behind the camera". I became intentional about trying to master the skill, all things are relative so for me and my current abili ..read more

Does your family enjoy themed costumes? Did you love The Greatest Showman? Ours sure did so much so that last year we decided to make it our costume theme. I prefer to DIY when possible, although it’s not always the cheaper or faster option. You’ll need to weigh it out but I think you’ll get a more authentic original look. Here is how I put our costumes together... My daughter, Naliya chose to be Anne Wheeler, the African-American trapeze artist. I picked a leotard from Amazon, used lace, and detailed spools of ribbon to embellish the ensamble. I attempted to closely mimic the look of the co ..read more

Disclosure: I received Yaffi Matching Swimwear as a complimentary item for review, however all opinions express are 100% my own. Don't you just love how adorable families look with their matching outfits; so put together, all cute and perfect, right? Like me, are you a momma who dreams of those Instagramable shots, well now it is easier than ever! Just head over to YaffiFashion.com, select the set you love, pick out everyone's size, add to basket and check out! Since we would be going on a vacation/ wedding week to the Dominican Republic for our vow renewal this past June, I thought it would ..read more

Disclosure: Today's post is sponsored by Balmex, however all opinions expressed are my own.  A couple of months after baby Nerina was born she developed the worst rash, I am not sure if it was change brands of diaper or what but it was baaad! I literally tried everything and only two things seemed to work for her after many weeks of trial and error.  I tried ointments with petroleum jelly, creams with lanolin, DIY remedies and holistic approaches. Nothing seemed to be working, that is until I tried Balmex!  Balmex is a diaper rash cream that has been recommended by pediatricia ..read more

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Spirit Halloween, however all opinions expressed are my own. If you've been around here for a while then you know our love for family costumes. I have been dressing up with the kids for the past 4 years, basically since Aarlen joined us. Thanks to Spirit Halloween we have a jump start on our family costumes. The possibilities are endless but I wanted to show you an adorable Dr.Seuss sibling costume theme you can use this year at the Halloween parade,  church harvest festival or local trunk or treat! Check out all of the Dr. Suess character costumes h ..read more

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com, however all opinions expressed are my own. I always hear new moms and mothers who have recently given birth speak out about the pressures society places on women to bounce back to their pre-baby body after giving birth. But what if the pressure you're feeling isn't coming from Hollywood or the media but from yourself! That is the case with me, I am more determined than ever to get back to my post first and second baby body! Im thankful to BabbleBoxx sponsoring this post because as a mom of three struggling to reach a fitness goal I ca ..read more