Its been five years since I first laid eyes on my baby girl. Since then, its been a nonstop adventure. Every day has brought forth something new and even though I was scared to death when I first saw the positive pregnancy test, I simply can't imagine life being any other way.
So much has changed in the last five years. For the first year of her life, it was just the two of us, the mommy and Kai duo. As a first time mom, I fretted when she didn't seem to be hitting her milestones at what I thought was the "right" time. I swore I would never sleep again, and wondered for months why the heck she wasn't sleeping through the night yet. When she didn't walk unassisted at a year, I felt like the odd mommy out. I worried when she sneezed, coughed, had a stuffy/runny nose, a fever, was constipated or had diarrhea. When she cried for too long, my first thought was that something was wrong with her, not that maybe she was gassy. I worried that she was too hot, too cold, sleepy, not sleepy, bored or hungry. My neurotic worry was based on the fact that all I've wanted was the best for her since the moment we met.
To this very day, Kai oftentimes asks to look through her baby book or see pictures of her homebirth. I always want to cry when I see the images of her as a tiny baby. It feels like it was so long ago, and its become difficult to fully grasp that the seven-pound nursling I snuggled with is the same preschooler who read me a book this evening.
Time is unfair. It passes by too slowly during the parts that suck, and much too fast during the parts you want to cherish for just a little while longer. What I wouldn't give to have her be my wee little baby back....*sigh*.
The hardest part about parenting is knowing that you are raising this precious little being to become a person who will ultimately leave you. With each passing year, we equip our children with the skills and knowledge they need to become a part of society...without you. I oftentimes well up with anxiety over this knowledge, but I find peace in seeing the joy in Kai's face when she's able to experience the world independent of me. The same child who once spent every waking second with me, now spends seven hours each day at school, creating her own little world and experiences.
Kai is a force to be reckoned with. She's opinionated, stubborn, loving, creative, energetic, artistic, smart and strong. She can read, build vehicles out of Legos, and can make up a song and dance on the spot. She enjoys playing the violin, though she refuses to learn any actual song. She enjoys helping me cook, and has developed a strong liking to traditional (spicy) Indian food.
She is oftentimes wise beyond her years and says the cutest things when you least expect it, yet a boo-boo will send her running into my arms in an instant. She can do most things for herself and regularly refuses help with just about everything. She is a leader and enjoys showing younger children how to do things. I am always impressed at how patient she is when showing Gabe or one of his little buddies how to overcome an obstacle. She reminds me a lot of myself, yet she is very much her own person.
When Kai became a big sister, it was a treat to see a whole new side of her. Her nonchalant reaction to seeing her brother come into the world is almost comical. Its been wonderfully amazing watching the sister-brother bond grow stronger each day. She is an amazing big sister and although they certainly get on each others nerves, they truly love each other to pieces.
Five years....where did the time go?
Happy Birthday Kai!
Monday, February 27, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
At-Home Science: Simple Chemical Reaction
In the following experiments, you and your child will explore difference facets of the same, simple chemical reaction.
Materials:
2 new Ziplock sandwich bags
2 new Ziplock sandwich bags
Measuring spoons
Measuring cup
Drinking glass
2 paper towels
2 paper towels
Vinegar
Clear cups
Baking soda
Baking soda
Warm water
Food color
Liquid soap
Liquid soap
Aluminum tray
Latex glove
Instructions:
Tear a sheet of paper towel into a square measuring approximately 6” by 6”. Pour the baking soda into the center of the paper towel then fold the towel into an envelope with the power inside it. Pour ½ cup of vinegar and ¼ cup of warm water into the bag. Then, carefully but quickly, add the paper towel envelope to the bag and seal it. Shake the bag a little bit, then place it on the ground and stand back. The bag will inflate and then pop! Repeat :)
Tear a sheet of paper towel into a square measuring approximately 6” by 6”. Pour the baking soda into the center of the paper towel then fold the towel into an envelope with the power inside it. Pour ½ cup of vinegar and ¼ cup of warm water into the bag. Then, carefully but quickly, add the paper towel envelope to the bag and seal it. Shake the bag a little bit, then place it on the ground and stand back. The bag will inflate and then pop! Repeat :)
In one cup, place ½ cup of baking soda. In another cup, place ¼ cup of vinegar. Add food color if desired. Instruct the child to pour the vinegar (the liquid) into the baking soda and observe what happens. Allow the time to play with the mixture. Discuss what was observed.
Next, you will need ½ cup of baking soda in a clear cup. In another cup, place ¼ cup of vinegar and a few of drops of liquid soap. Hypothesize what will happen when the vinegar and soap mixture is poured into the baking soda. Conduct the experiment and share observations.
Pour ½ cup of vinegar into a drinking glass. Add ¼ cup of baking soda to the inside of the glove. Hold the glove by its wrist and shake the powder into the fingers. Carefully attach the glove to the top of the glass so that there is no gap (use tape if needed). Pull the glove upright by its fingers and shake gently, allowing the baking soda to drop into the glass. Stand back and watch as the glove begins to fill up.
More science experiments can be found here.
More science experiments can be found here.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Super Veggie Mac n Cheese
The following recipe is super delish, highly nutritious and my kids both gobble it up. The measurements are estimates, add more or less as you desire.
1 box of elbow macaroni (or whatever pasta you prefer)
8 ounces of cheddar cheese, cut into cubes
4 tablespoons of butter
4 tablespoons of flour
1 1/2 cup of milk (add more as desired)
1/2 cup of soft tofu, mushed
1/2 cup cooked butternut squash puree
1/2 cup cooked cauliflower puree
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup wheatgerm
1 bag frozen broccoli florets
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Chopped parsley, oregano and basil
Pinch of salt
Cook the pasta according to the box directions.
In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir, coating all the flour with the butter. Add the milk, a little bit at a time, and stir frequently to prevent clumps from forming. Add the cheddar cheese until it is melted and continue to stir. At this point, you may wish to add more milk if you want your cheese sauce to be less creamy. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir to ensure a smooth consistency so that the tofu, cauliflower and squash are blended well enough that a toddler and preschooler don't know its there.
Place the pasta in a baking pan and slowly pour the cheese sauce over it. Mix well and bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
More yummy kid-approved recipes can be found here.
1 box of elbow macaroni (or whatever pasta you prefer)
8 ounces of cheddar cheese, cut into cubes
4 tablespoons of butter
4 tablespoons of flour
1 1/2 cup of milk (add more as desired)
1/2 cup of soft tofu, mushed
1/2 cup cooked butternut squash puree
1/2 cup cooked cauliflower puree
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup wheatgerm
1 bag frozen broccoli florets
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Chopped parsley, oregano and basil
Pinch of salt
Cook the pasta according to the box directions.
In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir, coating all the flour with the butter. Add the milk, a little bit at a time, and stir frequently to prevent clumps from forming. Add the cheddar cheese until it is melted and continue to stir. At this point, you may wish to add more milk if you want your cheese sauce to be less creamy. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir to ensure a smooth consistency so that the tofu, cauliflower and squash are blended well enough that a toddler and preschooler don't know its there.
Place the pasta in a baking pan and slowly pour the cheese sauce over it. Mix well and bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
More yummy kid-approved recipes can be found here.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
On A Frugal Spree!
I did a lot of great shopping today, which started off with our bi-weekly grocery shopping and ended with a run to CVS for some much-needed diapers and a couple filler items. Before I share my savings and out-of-pocket costs, I need to vent a little bit regarding what people assume when one uses coupons.
First, being frugal does not equal to eating like shit. Although there are certainly lots of coupons out there for food that has little to no nutritional value, the best and higher-savings coupons are actually for nutritious and oftentimes organic goods. Not finding good coupons in the Sunday paper isn't reason enough to forgo couponing altogether or assume its not a feasible option. Nowadays, its easy as pie to call up or e-mail your favorite manufacturer and ask them to send you coupons (which they will). As well, if you're on Facebook, you can "like" your favorite manufacturers and print coupons directly from their business page.
If clipping coupons is not for you, many stores are starting to offer e-coupons that get loaded directly onto your store's loyalty card. All you do is buy the item and the e-coupon is automatically applied to your purchase. Moreover, SavingStar is a new-ish company that offers you credits good toward an e-gift card when you purchase select items. You can load your various store cards onto your SavingStar account and have the credits applied to your account based on qualifying purchases. These credits are technically not coupons, so not only can you use your regular coupons for savings, you can also add in the SavingStar credits for even more frugal fun.
Another misconception is that couponing takes a whole lot of time. The "reality" shows that depict individuals spending 40+ hours per week on couponing are simply focusing on people with no life and no priorities. For me, couponing takes a maximum of one hour per week, and that hour is spent planning all the shopping for the week, so it is time well spent.
The last misconception is that you don't really save a lot when you coupon. Sure, if you have one coupon worth $1 off a purchase, then you won't be saving very much, but how about thirty or forty coupons? Is one hour per week worth saving fifty or more dollars? It sure is to me!
Today's biweekly grocery shopping trip included everything we'll be consuming for the next two weeks plus a few extras. We got meat, seafood, fruits and veggies, cereal, shampoo, baby wipes, on-the-go snacks, couscous, pilaf, bread, cheese, eggs, yogurt....you get the idea. An overwhelming amount of the items were organic, and I had high-value coupons for it. FYI, a high-value coupon is for savings of $2 or more on the item.
Total before coupons: $288.73
Total after coupons: $191.95
I saved $96.78 using paper and e-coupons along with my store card which priced the items at a slightly lower price to begin with.
My next frugal shopping trip was to CVS, where I picked up a 60-count box of Huggies diapers, a box of Kleenex tissues and a Huggies travel pack of wipes (which were free with the purchase of a Huggies box of diapers). I saved a grand total of $18.66 and paid just $7.91 out of pocket. I used just three coupons, plus a free $10 CVS gift card that I earned from qualifying purchases two weeks ago.
Ch-ching!
First, being frugal does not equal to eating like shit. Although there are certainly lots of coupons out there for food that has little to no nutritional value, the best and higher-savings coupons are actually for nutritious and oftentimes organic goods. Not finding good coupons in the Sunday paper isn't reason enough to forgo couponing altogether or assume its not a feasible option. Nowadays, its easy as pie to call up or e-mail your favorite manufacturer and ask them to send you coupons (which they will). As well, if you're on Facebook, you can "like" your favorite manufacturers and print coupons directly from their business page.
If clipping coupons is not for you, many stores are starting to offer e-coupons that get loaded directly onto your store's loyalty card. All you do is buy the item and the e-coupon is automatically applied to your purchase. Moreover, SavingStar is a new-ish company that offers you credits good toward an e-gift card when you purchase select items. You can load your various store cards onto your SavingStar account and have the credits applied to your account based on qualifying purchases. These credits are technically not coupons, so not only can you use your regular coupons for savings, you can also add in the SavingStar credits for even more frugal fun.
Another misconception is that couponing takes a whole lot of time. The "reality" shows that depict individuals spending 40+ hours per week on couponing are simply focusing on people with no life and no priorities. For me, couponing takes a maximum of one hour per week, and that hour is spent planning all the shopping for the week, so it is time well spent.
The last misconception is that you don't really save a lot when you coupon. Sure, if you have one coupon worth $1 off a purchase, then you won't be saving very much, but how about thirty or forty coupons? Is one hour per week worth saving fifty or more dollars? It sure is to me!
Today's biweekly grocery shopping trip included everything we'll be consuming for the next two weeks plus a few extras. We got meat, seafood, fruits and veggies, cereal, shampoo, baby wipes, on-the-go snacks, couscous, pilaf, bread, cheese, eggs, yogurt....you get the idea. An overwhelming amount of the items were organic, and I had high-value coupons for it. FYI, a high-value coupon is for savings of $2 or more on the item.
Total before coupons: $288.73
Total after coupons: $191.95
I saved $96.78 using paper and e-coupons along with my store card which priced the items at a slightly lower price to begin with.
My next frugal shopping trip was to CVS, where I picked up a 60-count box of Huggies diapers, a box of Kleenex tissues and a Huggies travel pack of wipes (which were free with the purchase of a Huggies box of diapers). I saved a grand total of $18.66 and paid just $7.91 out of pocket. I used just three coupons, plus a free $10 CVS gift card that I earned from qualifying purchases two weeks ago.
Ch-ching!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Momentos pt. 2
Almost exactly three years ago, I wrote about a defining moment. Its fitting that a week ago I was able to witness a similarly impacting momento-- a local friend's homebirth to her second child. It was exactly one week ago (to the minute, as I type this) that I walked into my friend's apartment armed with my camera, some snacks, spare batteries and a large mug of coffee. Photographing her second homebirth was something she and I had chatted about, but the discussion was so informal and nonchalant that it didn't all become real to me until that morning when she sent me a text telling me she thought she would have the baby that day. I spent half the day at work stalking my phone, anticipating that at any moment, she would call me over.
When I arrived to her house, the transition from the building's hallway and into the apartment was like stepping through a portal of sorts. The apartment, which was now the birthing environment, took on an entirely different feel than what it had when I visited previously for a playdate. The lights were dim and the air was warm. Soft music played in the background from the computer. When I arrived, my friend was in the birth pool with her husband by her side and the doula was already there. Within minutes, another member of the birth team showed up, followed soon after by the midwife and her assistant (my friend and I have the same midwife, so it was a nice mini reunion). Though we told jokes, laughed, and a lot of times just stood silently by, we all felt the force in the air. A new life was about to enter the world, and we were all supporting cast members of this exciting journey.
The defining aspect of my friend's homebirth was how tuned in we all were to what was going on, without even speaking of it. In the middle of telling a joke, I saw the slightest twitch in my friend's face and knew immediately it was time to shut the fuck up. As her contractions became stronger and longer, the entire birth team would sort of freeze in time in amazing synchronicity. During those dispersed minutes of pure and absolute work (i.e. labor), we supported the birthing mother with our silent, positive energy.
I was surprised when it became apparent that the baby would be born quite soon. I had mentally prepared myself for a long night, as I'm sure the rest of the team did too. Out of the blue, the feeling in the air changed. My friend's breathing and vocalizations changed, her facial expressions said she was ready to get down to business. I held my breath, with my arms shaking so badly in excitement, I ended up creatively leaning up against some furniture to steady myself. My friend reached down into the pool and the look on her face opened up the floodgates and I started to cry. I knew that look. I'm sure I made the very same face the first time I felt my children's heads as they began their decent out of the birth canal and into the world.
With my friend birthing in the pool, in the middle of her living room, the five of us stood surrounding her, watching this amazing moment unfold as we cried, held hands and hugged.
There was a pause in time, where it seemed like everything stopped, even my own heartbeat.
And then, there was a baby.
After that came the purest, most amazing moment that has ever existed in all of life. A mother, for the first time, laying eyes upon her new baby.
It doesn't get more perfect than that.
PS: My friend's birth story and some pictures, can be found here.
When I arrived to her house, the transition from the building's hallway and into the apartment was like stepping through a portal of sorts. The apartment, which was now the birthing environment, took on an entirely different feel than what it had when I visited previously for a playdate. The lights were dim and the air was warm. Soft music played in the background from the computer. When I arrived, my friend was in the birth pool with her husband by her side and the doula was already there. Within minutes, another member of the birth team showed up, followed soon after by the midwife and her assistant (my friend and I have the same midwife, so it was a nice mini reunion). Though we told jokes, laughed, and a lot of times just stood silently by, we all felt the force in the air. A new life was about to enter the world, and we were all supporting cast members of this exciting journey.
The defining aspect of my friend's homebirth was how tuned in we all were to what was going on, without even speaking of it. In the middle of telling a joke, I saw the slightest twitch in my friend's face and knew immediately it was time to shut the fuck up. As her contractions became stronger and longer, the entire birth team would sort of freeze in time in amazing synchronicity. During those dispersed minutes of pure and absolute work (i.e. labor), we supported the birthing mother with our silent, positive energy.
I was surprised when it became apparent that the baby would be born quite soon. I had mentally prepared myself for a long night, as I'm sure the rest of the team did too. Out of the blue, the feeling in the air changed. My friend's breathing and vocalizations changed, her facial expressions said she was ready to get down to business. I held my breath, with my arms shaking so badly in excitement, I ended up creatively leaning up against some furniture to steady myself. My friend reached down into the pool and the look on her face opened up the floodgates and I started to cry. I knew that look. I'm sure I made the very same face the first time I felt my children's heads as they began their decent out of the birth canal and into the world.
With my friend birthing in the pool, in the middle of her living room, the five of us stood surrounding her, watching this amazing moment unfold as we cried, held hands and hugged.
There was a pause in time, where it seemed like everything stopped, even my own heartbeat.
And then, there was a baby.
After that came the purest, most amazing moment that has ever existed in all of life. A mother, for the first time, laying eyes upon her new baby.
It doesn't get more perfect than that.
PS: My friend's birth story and some pictures, can be found here.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Another Year Gone By
Wow! What a year 2011 has been! Although it started with the loss of a great friend, solace has been found in the fact that his legacy for good food continues on. Mr D now has an eatery named after him in the same location where his store once stood. Its heartwarming to pass by each day and see his name memorialized on the awning of the shop.
2011 marked a high point in my frugalista lifestyle, and I was able to save like never before. Even better is the fact that others have been motivated to try couponing and frugal shopping and have managed to snag some pretty awesome deals.
On the to-do list of my 5-yr plan was the writing of my autobiography, so that the details of my growing up are never lost. My hope is that my children will one day read it and learn to appreciate their lives that much more. As well, I hope to find closure in things that I have carried with me like permanent, and unnecessary, baggage.
Also this year, I dealt with a highly annoying dumper in my 'hood who confused my community for a landfill. Through perseverance and some strongly worded e-mails to my local elected officials, the dumper was caught, fined and his car was impounded. The outrage from the ongoing dumping motivated my community to come together and clean up. Twice this year I had the pleasure of working with two amazing mommas in coordinating hundreds of volunteers to beautify our community.
A lot changed this year in terms of our household dynamics. Hubby started his graduate studies this year and I started working outside of the home. As well, Gabe started school! It was quite unexpected, but he was certainly more ready for school than I was. Thinking back to one year ago, we are in a completely opposite place in terms of how our days play out. We're still getting the hang of things and some days run smoother than others. Everyone is happy, and that's all that matters.
As the year winds down, I can look back at 2011 as having been a year of transitions. Our family is evolving with each opportunity that comes along. We are adjusting our routines and expectations on an almost daily basis. The exciting part is on whats to come. There are things cookin' up in my mental oven, things that have the ability to bring about great change in the lives of many. I hope the coming year brings forth more opportunity to do what I enjoy best.
Happy New Year!
2011 marked a high point in my frugalista lifestyle, and I was able to save like never before. Even better is the fact that others have been motivated to try couponing and frugal shopping and have managed to snag some pretty awesome deals.
On the to-do list of my 5-yr plan was the writing of my autobiography, so that the details of my growing up are never lost. My hope is that my children will one day read it and learn to appreciate their lives that much more. As well, I hope to find closure in things that I have carried with me like permanent, and unnecessary, baggage.
Also this year, I dealt with a highly annoying dumper in my 'hood who confused my community for a landfill. Through perseverance and some strongly worded e-mails to my local elected officials, the dumper was caught, fined and his car was impounded. The outrage from the ongoing dumping motivated my community to come together and clean up. Twice this year I had the pleasure of working with two amazing mommas in coordinating hundreds of volunteers to beautify our community.
A lot changed this year in terms of our household dynamics. Hubby started his graduate studies this year and I started working outside of the home. As well, Gabe started school! It was quite unexpected, but he was certainly more ready for school than I was. Thinking back to one year ago, we are in a completely opposite place in terms of how our days play out. We're still getting the hang of things and some days run smoother than others. Everyone is happy, and that's all that matters.
As the year winds down, I can look back at 2011 as having been a year of transitions. Our family is evolving with each opportunity that comes along. We are adjusting our routines and expectations on an almost daily basis. The exciting part is on whats to come. There are things cookin' up in my mental oven, things that have the ability to bring about great change in the lives of many. I hope the coming year brings forth more opportunity to do what I enjoy best.
Happy New Year!
Monday, December 26, 2011
Buh Bye Cable!
Prior to ditching cable we were down to the very super duper basic package. I'm talking about 15-ish channels of just the basics. For those very few channels (and DVR service), we paid $18 per month, plus fees and taxes, which actually brought the total closer to $40 per month. It was a waste of money and we knew it. Still, we weren't ready to forge ahead and cancel the service entirely without having a back-up plan. After reading numerous comments about how awesome the over-the-air service was, we decided we would give the antenna a try before exploring other options. Radio Shack has a very basic antenna which costs $12.99 and easily picks up transmissions 15+ miles away. After checking out Antenna Web, we learned that most of our stations transmit from 6 miles away, making it that much better. Our television is a newer brand so we did not need a receiver box. Set-up of the antenna took less than five minutes and immediately we picked up thirty channels, most of which are in high definition. We swapped out the short cable that the antenna came with for a much longer cable, and we were then able to place it atop our bookcase and closer to the window. This minor change resulted in an additional eighteen channels being added to our FREE line-up (again, most of the channels are in HD).
We have happily given up a monthly bill and the convenience of DVR for a one-time cost of $12.99. As well, with the use of a super long computer monitor cable, we can also use our television as a giant monitor and we can watch Netflix movies directly from the computer, and onto our television screen. This also allows us to stream television shows on a whim, which has replaced our need for a Roku and DVR.
If you are a casual television viewer, you should seriously consider switching to an antenna. If you are a Cablevision/Time Warner customer, you REALLY should consider switching.
The hardest thing about getting rid of cable was the phone call to Cablevision requesting a cancellation of services. While I can't blame them for trying to keep me as a customer, transferring me to four different people in the retention department, after speaking to two different people prior to that, was a waste of my time. And if my time isn't of your concern, this might get your attention. I inquired what my monthly bill would be with just internet service. The lady at the other end of the line gave me the charge and I asked her if that included fees and taxes. The lady tells me no, that taxes and fees are not allowed on internet or phone service packages, that's why they charge them so high on the cable portion of the bill. I choked slightly on my sangria upon hearing that, but was thankful for the information.
Our $12.99 antenna is expected to save us a little over $1000 per year. Additional savings may be incurred via our electric bill since we no longer have the juice-sucking cable box. Happy tv watching!
Monday, December 12, 2011
My Autobiography Pt. 3
Continued from Part 2
After my stepfather died, we stayed at my aunt's house for what seemed like a really long time. When we finally returned home, we arrived to an apartment that had the electricity and phone cut off. With my stepfather's passing, my mom was left alone, in a country we barely knew, to care for two children (and one on the way). My mom had absolutely zero dollars and no job. The utilities, apartment lease and bank accounts were all in my stepfather's name. My mom spoke no English and, at the time, our residency paperwork was not finalized. We were fucked. I knew it then as much as I know it now.
Once my mom realized that the electricity and the phone were both cut off, she broke down and cried. As she lay on the ground sobbing loudly, I stood in the dark hallway silently holding my little sister's hand. I remember being hot, as we were still wearing our coats.
After a visit to the corner pay phone, we headed back to the apartment to gather our stuff and head over to my abuelita's house near 181st in Manhattan. My abuelita is my grandmother's sister who was one of the very first family members to come to the U.S. from Santo Domingo. I was named after my abuelita, whom the adults referred to as Túta. She spoke some English and had been in the country long enough to have established herself quite well. My abuelita loved baseball, beer and cigarettes. She also ran a licensed home day care out of her 5th floor walk-up apartment. When my mother called her that fateful day, she happily took us in and I was relieved that it would be her we would be staying with.
My abuelita was hardcore old school. She came from the perspective of a generation that deeply believed in its family superstitions. A lot of the stuff that came out of her mouth was racist and entirely inappropriate, but I loved her anyway. She always made me laugh and could cook like it was nobody's business.
Right next door to my abuelita lived her sister. On many occasions, my aunt and cousins would come stay with her for extended periods of time. Considering the chaos that defined our lives at that point in time, I was genuinely happy because I was surrounded by family on a constant basis. It reminded me of Santo Domingo, where I was still hoping we would end up moving back to.
Since my mom had no income and my little brother's arrival was quickly creeping up, my abuelita invited us to stay long-term with her. She assisted my mom in enrolling me at a nearby school that thankfully offered ESL classes, since I still didn't speak a word of English. I started school again sometime in early spring, after missing a few months due to the loss of my stepfather and our undetermined living situation. One morning out of the blue, my mom told me she was leaving to have my little brother. I remember my abuelita gave her cab money and off she went. After school that day, my abuelita took my sister and I to the hospital to check on my mom. We remained in the waiting room for a pretty long while but never actually saw my mom. I simply took my abuelita's word for it that my mom was ok, but I wasn't entirely convinced considering the recent loss of the other adult in my life. A few days later my abuelita brought me back to her house from school and there was my mom again. She had a baby with her. It was my little brother.
We stayed with my abuelita through the summer while my mom met with caseworkers and legal aids regarding our situation. Late that summer, we were finally back in the apartment we were originally living in. This time with electricity and phone service. We were gone for about six months. During that time, nothing was moved in the apartment except for the personal items we initially took with us to my abuelita's house. Upon returning, everything looked the same, yet even in my seven year old mind I understood quite well that things were never going to be the same. My stepfather was dead and we were poor.
From that day forward, we quite literally remained alive off the tax dollars from a country we were not yet officially a part of. I was still hoping that we would go back to what I considered our real home, but that was not the case. To keep a roof over our heads, my mom depended on Section 8 housing plus a subsidy from the city. Food Stamps and WIC fed us, and my stepfather's Social Security benefits barely bridged the gap between all that we needed to survive. There were plenty of times when the gap grew deep and wide and we were left with no food in the fridge and clothes that did not fit. My abuelita always came to the rescue during these times and she would invite us to spend the weekend with her claiming she cooked too much and didn't want the food to go to waste. My abuelita was able to get hand-me-down clothes for us on many occasions, always exactly when we needed it.
We spent many Christmases at my abuelita's house. She would decorate a great big tree and buy us all types of trinkets and clothes, all so that we didn't go without. For Noche Buena, my abuelita would cook for a herd and she regularly sent us home with huge bags of food that she always claimed were about to go bad so it was necessary for someone to eat it quicker than she could. I always enjoyed visiting with my abuelita. With her I never worried about where we would live, or where our next meal would come from. I never knew cold, loneliness, worry or hunger with her. My abuelita was a strong Dominican woman who had a plan and a vision for her life. My mom was lost and we were lost with her.
To be continued....
After my stepfather died, we stayed at my aunt's house for what seemed like a really long time. When we finally returned home, we arrived to an apartment that had the electricity and phone cut off. With my stepfather's passing, my mom was left alone, in a country we barely knew, to care for two children (and one on the way). My mom had absolutely zero dollars and no job. The utilities, apartment lease and bank accounts were all in my stepfather's name. My mom spoke no English and, at the time, our residency paperwork was not finalized. We were fucked. I knew it then as much as I know it now.
Once my mom realized that the electricity and the phone were both cut off, she broke down and cried. As she lay on the ground sobbing loudly, I stood in the dark hallway silently holding my little sister's hand. I remember being hot, as we were still wearing our coats.
After a visit to the corner pay phone, we headed back to the apartment to gather our stuff and head over to my abuelita's house near 181st in Manhattan. My abuelita is my grandmother's sister who was one of the very first family members to come to the U.S. from Santo Domingo. I was named after my abuelita, whom the adults referred to as Túta. She spoke some English and had been in the country long enough to have established herself quite well. My abuelita loved baseball, beer and cigarettes. She also ran a licensed home day care out of her 5th floor walk-up apartment. When my mother called her that fateful day, she happily took us in and I was relieved that it would be her we would be staying with.
My abuelita was hardcore old school. She came from the perspective of a generation that deeply believed in its family superstitions. A lot of the stuff that came out of her mouth was racist and entirely inappropriate, but I loved her anyway. She always made me laugh and could cook like it was nobody's business.
Right next door to my abuelita lived her sister. On many occasions, my aunt and cousins would come stay with her for extended periods of time. Considering the chaos that defined our lives at that point in time, I was genuinely happy because I was surrounded by family on a constant basis. It reminded me of Santo Domingo, where I was still hoping we would end up moving back to.
Since my mom had no income and my little brother's arrival was quickly creeping up, my abuelita invited us to stay long-term with her. She assisted my mom in enrolling me at a nearby school that thankfully offered ESL classes, since I still didn't speak a word of English. I started school again sometime in early spring, after missing a few months due to the loss of my stepfather and our undetermined living situation. One morning out of the blue, my mom told me she was leaving to have my little brother. I remember my abuelita gave her cab money and off she went. After school that day, my abuelita took my sister and I to the hospital to check on my mom. We remained in the waiting room for a pretty long while but never actually saw my mom. I simply took my abuelita's word for it that my mom was ok, but I wasn't entirely convinced considering the recent loss of the other adult in my life. A few days later my abuelita brought me back to her house from school and there was my mom again. She had a baby with her. It was my little brother.
We stayed with my abuelita through the summer while my mom met with caseworkers and legal aids regarding our situation. Late that summer, we were finally back in the apartment we were originally living in. This time with electricity and phone service. We were gone for about six months. During that time, nothing was moved in the apartment except for the personal items we initially took with us to my abuelita's house. Upon returning, everything looked the same, yet even in my seven year old mind I understood quite well that things were never going to be the same. My stepfather was dead and we were poor.
From that day forward, we quite literally remained alive off the tax dollars from a country we were not yet officially a part of. I was still hoping that we would go back to what I considered our real home, but that was not the case. To keep a roof over our heads, my mom depended on Section 8 housing plus a subsidy from the city. Food Stamps and WIC fed us, and my stepfather's Social Security benefits barely bridged the gap between all that we needed to survive. There were plenty of times when the gap grew deep and wide and we were left with no food in the fridge and clothes that did not fit. My abuelita always came to the rescue during these times and she would invite us to spend the weekend with her claiming she cooked too much and didn't want the food to go to waste. My abuelita was able to get hand-me-down clothes for us on many occasions, always exactly when we needed it.
We spent many Christmases at my abuelita's house. She would decorate a great big tree and buy us all types of trinkets and clothes, all so that we didn't go without. For Noche Buena, my abuelita would cook for a herd and she regularly sent us home with huge bags of food that she always claimed were about to go bad so it was necessary for someone to eat it quicker than she could. I always enjoyed visiting with my abuelita. With her I never worried about where we would live, or where our next meal would come from. I never knew cold, loneliness, worry or hunger with her. My abuelita was a strong Dominican woman who had a plan and a vision for her life. My mom was lost and we were lost with her.
To be continued....
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Its That Time of Year Again!
Its time to start gearing up for the frugal holiday season. Woot! In addition to the frugal gift ideas I shared last year, I have the following deals to help you along in sharing some frugal holiday cheer:
Tiny Prints Cards
These cards are fabulous! They've been running a lot of promotions lately, so its totally worth checking out. Right now, you can get free shipping on all orders plus 20% off with code HOLSAVE20. As it gets closer to Christmas, the deals will continue to get better, so check out what Tiny Prints has to offer in the coming weeks.
Freebies From Artscow
Located in Hong Kong (yes, you read that right) this company is both legit and they make some really great photo books in addition to some great and frugal print offers. New sign-ups get 1200 free print credits (4x6 and 5x7s) and 3 8x8 photo books. Shipping time is approximately two weeks and the price is comparable to non international businesses. I have personally ordered from Artscow for years now and I am a happy customer.
Mamasource by Mamapedia
There's certainly an over abundance of deal-a-day sites out there. I have tried a few and Mamasource is one of my top three faves. The deals are quite good and they work with well known merchants, so you usually have a good idea of the quality of the item you're purchasing. As it gets closer to Christmas, the deals at Mamasource tend to get unbelievably good and they go fast. Make sure you periodically check in to see what they have to offer.
Penny Photo Prints
We usually mail out a lot of photos of the kids during the holidays, so I am always on the lookout for great photo print deals. Currently, Snapfish has a promotion going on of up to 500 4x6 prints for only a penny each! Enter coupon code PENNYNOV through December 3. Also, use coupon code CYBER50 to shop and save 50% on just about everything. Offer ends December 3.
Cute Holiday Address Labels
These are a favorite around here. Each year I order 140 free caricature address labels from Vistaprint and I pay only for shipping, which is $3.62 for expedited shipping. As well, Vistaprint has many other free or almost-free offers that would make for a great stocking stuffer or other personalized gift.
$1.49 for 20 Photo Cards
Seehere.com is offering 20 customizable 4x8 photo cards for $1.49 with shipping included. That's a deal you just can't beat! To redeem, create your photo card and select to make 20 copies. Enter promotional code 25CARDS at check-out and your total will come down to $1.49.
Get 5 Free Photo Cards
My Publisher is offering a limited-time code for five free photo cards (including shipping). I have ordered from this company previously and I have always been blown away by the high quality photo cards that they offer. Their current free offer is a great opportunity to give them a try.
There will be more to come, so check back soon!
Tiny Prints Cards
These cards are fabulous! They've been running a lot of promotions lately, so its totally worth checking out. Right now, you can get free shipping on all orders plus 20% off with code HOLSAVE20. As it gets closer to Christmas, the deals will continue to get better, so check out what Tiny Prints has to offer in the coming weeks.
Freebies From Artscow
Located in Hong Kong (yes, you read that right) this company is both legit and they make some really great photo books in addition to some great and frugal print offers. New sign-ups get 1200 free print credits (4x6 and 5x7s) and 3 8x8 photo books. Shipping time is approximately two weeks and the price is comparable to non international businesses. I have personally ordered from Artscow for years now and I am a happy customer.
Mamasource by Mamapedia
There's certainly an over abundance of deal-a-day sites out there. I have tried a few and Mamasource is one of my top three faves. The deals are quite good and they work with well known merchants, so you usually have a good idea of the quality of the item you're purchasing. As it gets closer to Christmas, the deals at Mamasource tend to get unbelievably good and they go fast. Make sure you periodically check in to see what they have to offer.
Penny Photo Prints
We usually mail out a lot of photos of the kids during the holidays, so I am always on the lookout for great photo print deals. Currently, Snapfish has a promotion going on of up to 500 4x6 prints for only a penny each! Enter coupon code PENNYNOV through December 3. Also, use coupon code CYBER50 to shop and save 50% on just about everything. Offer ends December 3.
Cute Holiday Address Labels
These are a favorite around here. Each year I order 140 free caricature address labels from Vistaprint and I pay only for shipping, which is $3.62 for expedited shipping. As well, Vistaprint has many other free or almost-free offers that would make for a great stocking stuffer or other personalized gift.
There will be more to come, so check back soon!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Mommy Tantrum
I love my children, I really do. If you don't have kids, you will probably think the worst of me upon reading this blog entry. If you have children, then you'll understand where I'm coming from.
My kids are assholes sometimes. There, I said it.
They suffer from privileged, first-world problems which include, but are not limited to, having to decide which one of their dozen train cars to play with, or what to build with the hundreds of Lego pieces at their disposal, or what to whine to mom/dad about watching on tv. Although they probably couldn't come up with a dollar between them, my children regularly receive recommendations on what to watch from my Netflix account. Seriously, I've just about given up trying to search for a movie there 'cause the first dozen or so recommendations on films to watch are all rated G. They have access to a fridge full of yummy healthy food, yet they whine about not being able to eat popcorn twenty-five hours a day. They have more toys than I ever had in my life and a full stash of arts and crafts supplies, yet both will look you right in the eye and swear there's nothing to play with and nothing to do except pummel the shit out of each other and scream. We live some short blocks away from the second major park in the city yet on any given day my kids prefer to be homebodies.
This evening, Gabe threw a tantrum of epic proportions. He's reached the phase where he's being picky about his food...again. Having been down this road with Kai, hubby and I are well versed in this toddler fuckery and have several tricks up our sleeves, none of which have successfully worked with Gabe just yet. This recent tantrum was brought to you by strawberries. Yes, strawberries. Given the choice, Gabe would have an exclusive diet of fruits, strawberries specifically. Previously, we have tried letting him attempt to live off strawberries, thinking that it wouldn't last more than a day. Wrong! On day three we had to forcibly cut him off 'cause the strawberry scent was permeating through his pores and even his pee smelled like berries. Gabe, of course, doesn't take no for an answer, so I literally stopped buying strawberries to get him to even consider other foods as being worthy of his eating.
But what the hell man, I like strawberries too! So what, now that my hard-headed two year old refuses to eat anything but strawberries the entire household has to suffer?? Screw that! After a very long while, I started purchasing strawberries again and without fail, Gabe attempted to live exclusively off them. We foiled his plans and he protested at first, but eventually got over it. All was well for a good long while...until today. He'd already had about a pound of fresh strawberries and was attempting to forgo dinner. I told him no. And thus the fake-crying began (fake as in no tears whatsoever, just noise), complete with body flopping. It was awesome. You should have been here.
After 45 minutes of this shit he decided he'd had enough. He stopped fake-crying and picked himself up from the floor. He came over and asked if I would read him a book. I said yes and I asked him to go ahead and pick out a book. Obviously I was wrong to ask Prince Tantrum to walk two feet over to the bookshelf and pick out his own effing book 'cause he immediately started up again. Next time I must remind myself to read his mind first before haphazardly guessing at what he may/may not want to do.
Oh, and don't get me started on Kai. Holy jeebus! At least two mornings a week I curse her out in my head over getting dressed for school in the morning. Even though she gets to pick her own clothes out, there never ceases to be drama over getting dressed. Having too many choices in clothing options is a good problem to have, yet my sweet, sometimes bratty Kai can bitch and moan about not having the right shade of pink shirt to wear with her pink boots and pink skirt. I'm tempted to send her ass to school wearing a dirty burlap sack. And don't get me started about the daily battles with her hair, coat, shoes, school lunch, show and tell object... you name it, there's likely unnecessary drama associated with it. We've started having her pick her clothes out the night before, after watching the weather forecast, but that only decreases the drama slightly, not completely.
So yeah, my kids can be little butt heads (just like I was when I was a kid). Don't let their cuteness fool you.
Ok, mommy tantrum over.
My kids are assholes sometimes. There, I said it.
They suffer from privileged, first-world problems which include, but are not limited to, having to decide which one of their dozen train cars to play with, or what to build with the hundreds of Lego pieces at their disposal, or what to whine to mom/dad about watching on tv. Although they probably couldn't come up with a dollar between them, my children regularly receive recommendations on what to watch from my Netflix account. Seriously, I've just about given up trying to search for a movie there 'cause the first dozen or so recommendations on films to watch are all rated G. They have access to a fridge full of yummy healthy food, yet they whine about not being able to eat popcorn twenty-five hours a day. They have more toys than I ever had in my life and a full stash of arts and crafts supplies, yet both will look you right in the eye and swear there's nothing to play with and nothing to do except pummel the shit out of each other and scream. We live some short blocks away from the second major park in the city yet on any given day my kids prefer to be homebodies.
This evening, Gabe threw a tantrum of epic proportions. He's reached the phase where he's being picky about his food...again. Having been down this road with Kai, hubby and I are well versed in this toddler fuckery and have several tricks up our sleeves, none of which have successfully worked with Gabe just yet. This recent tantrum was brought to you by strawberries. Yes, strawberries. Given the choice, Gabe would have an exclusive diet of fruits, strawberries specifically. Previously, we have tried letting him attempt to live off strawberries, thinking that it wouldn't last more than a day. Wrong! On day three we had to forcibly cut him off 'cause the strawberry scent was permeating through his pores and even his pee smelled like berries. Gabe, of course, doesn't take no for an answer, so I literally stopped buying strawberries to get him to even consider other foods as being worthy of his eating.
But what the hell man, I like strawberries too! So what, now that my hard-headed two year old refuses to eat anything but strawberries the entire household has to suffer?? Screw that! After a very long while, I started purchasing strawberries again and without fail, Gabe attempted to live exclusively off them. We foiled his plans and he protested at first, but eventually got over it. All was well for a good long while...until today. He'd already had about a pound of fresh strawberries and was attempting to forgo dinner. I told him no. And thus the fake-crying began (fake as in no tears whatsoever, just noise), complete with body flopping. It was awesome. You should have been here.
After 45 minutes of this shit he decided he'd had enough. He stopped fake-crying and picked himself up from the floor. He came over and asked if I would read him a book. I said yes and I asked him to go ahead and pick out a book. Obviously I was wrong to ask Prince Tantrum to walk two feet over to the bookshelf and pick out his own effing book 'cause he immediately started up again. Next time I must remind myself to read his mind first before haphazardly guessing at what he may/may not want to do.
Oh, and don't get me started on Kai. Holy jeebus! At least two mornings a week I curse her out in my head over getting dressed for school in the morning. Even though she gets to pick her own clothes out, there never ceases to be drama over getting dressed. Having too many choices in clothing options is a good problem to have, yet my sweet, sometimes bratty Kai can bitch and moan about not having the right shade of pink shirt to wear with her pink boots and pink skirt. I'm tempted to send her ass to school wearing a dirty burlap sack. And don't get me started about the daily battles with her hair, coat, shoes, school lunch, show and tell object... you name it, there's likely unnecessary drama associated with it. We've started having her pick her clothes out the night before, after watching the weather forecast, but that only decreases the drama slightly, not completely.
So yeah, my kids can be little butt heads (just like I was when I was a kid). Don't let their cuteness fool you.
Ok, mommy tantrum over.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Frugal and Gorgeous Holiday Cards
Yes, you can certainly have frugal and gorgeous holiday cards!
I've decided to do our holiday cards a bit different this year. Usually I would purchase several boxes of cards and fill them out individually. I'm real old school in the sense that I still hand write a little personal note in each of my cards. For the most part, its the only written communication I have all year with some people. While it takes a while, the added personal touch is important to me.
What's different this year is that I decided to create personalized photo cards from Tiny Prints. Although I was concerned about forgoing the personal touch, after going through the motions of creating my cards, I quickly realized that all of them could be personalized as little or as much as I wanted to. There are lots of cards to choose from and all of them are very high quality. In terms of cost, they're cheaper than Hallmark, with prices starting as low as .79, and averaging at about $1.39 per card. Even better is the fact that Tiny Prints has several offers with discounts on your purchase and free shipping. Even better than that is the fact that the company has promotions for free cards during certain holidays. Give Tiny Prints a try. The recipients of your holiday cards will be blown away by how great they look and the personal touch is an added bonus. Meanwhile, you will be blown away by the low cost and ease of creating these beautiful cards.
For a limited time, get 20% off plus free shipping with codeCYBER20 HOLSAVE20 at checkout.
I've decided to do our holiday cards a bit different this year. Usually I would purchase several boxes of cards and fill them out individually. I'm real old school in the sense that I still hand write a little personal note in each of my cards. For the most part, its the only written communication I have all year with some people. While it takes a while, the added personal touch is important to me.
What's different this year is that I decided to create personalized photo cards from Tiny Prints. Although I was concerned about forgoing the personal touch, after going through the motions of creating my cards, I quickly realized that all of them could be personalized as little or as much as I wanted to. There are lots of cards to choose from and all of them are very high quality. In terms of cost, they're cheaper than Hallmark, with prices starting as low as .79, and averaging at about $1.39 per card. Even better is the fact that Tiny Prints has several offers with discounts on your purchase and free shipping. Even better than that is the fact that the company has promotions for free cards during certain holidays. Give Tiny Prints a try. The recipients of your holiday cards will be blown away by how great they look and the personal touch is an added bonus. Meanwhile, you will be blown away by the low cost and ease of creating these beautiful cards.
For a limited time, get 20% off plus free shipping with code
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| (sample of our Thanksgiving card because our Christmas card is a surprise) |
Thursday, November 24, 2011
CVS on Thanksgiving Morning
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| Items purchased this morning at CVS. |
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| After using coupons, a previously earned free gift card and ECBs, I paid $1.79 out of pocket. |
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| In return, I got the ECBs pictured above and another free $10 gift card. |
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