New Year, New Beginnings, New #FamilyGoals

We are few hours away from  saying goodbye to 2017.  I am grateful that despite the fact that we lost loved ones this year, we are still blessed that we have food in the table in every meal everyday and that my family is healthy.  The kids  and husband suffered from  cold here and there but it wasn't   serious so I am so grateful for this year.  

 Our  weather advisory said that  a frost bite can be possible for longer exposure outdoors but we can't  let the  2017 end without us  playing in the snow.  This is my first time  going out with them but they have been out playing for few times ever since it started snowing.

 Before we went to the  place where they want to sled ride, we took  some  family photos first at our backyard.

 There's a community  college campus a few blocks away from our home and  it has  slopes that  is good for  sled riding so we always go there during winter.

 I can understand  that my husband  does not feel the  cold because his body is always warm but I don't  get is how my children can stay outside without  feeling the pain  that I was feeling being out for half an hour.  I guess, their bodies are designed for cold temperature when they were born, since I was't born and raised here, I could never get used to cold weather.

 But anyway, as long as the kids are having fun, it's what it counts.

 As we were having fun, we  were talking about how appreciate we  were of the  home that we have.  My son said that he feel so bad for the homeless who doesn't have  a home that they  can stay warm or even a heater to  make them stay warm the whole winter. We told them that we can always pray for them that may God comfort them in this  intense  condition.

 I am glad that our kids are aware of other's people's  situation.  They don't only focus on themselves.  I just wish that we could help   all of the  homeless people.

 Here are the  rest of the photos of our cold adventure outdoors.

We had to cut the fun short  because my  hands and feet were so painful that I thought I  will lose them lol.  I was bundled too, I used the  socks that was suppose to keep my toes warm  and  I also worn  two pairs of gloves, still did not help.  It was just to cold.

They were not successful at first but they eventually got it by changing the lane. Our son even rolled down the hill, he couldn't wait for the sled.   Below are a couple of short clips I recorded.  Please don't mind my laughing spill lol.

After our little adventure outside, we all sat down with a hot coco and  talked about our goals for next year.  It's a weekly plan that we plan to do as a family for next year.

From my family to yours,  happy new year!  May the new  year  bring us good health, peace of mind, and prosperity.  God bless!

Christmas Celebration at Home

Celebrating Christmas at home is the best (I just wish that my family can celebrate it here with us but that is impossible as they are thousands of miles away).  The kids were part of the St. Joseph Choir that  sung at the 4:30 mass at church so went there early so they could practice.  We took some photos before  we left..  

I think the color of the night was maroon and burgundy because I saw a lot of   similar colors to the dress I was wearing at church.  It is nice attending Christmas masses because  you get to see  different faces you've never seen before.  Some families have other family members with them who are visiting from other places so it's nice to see the church filled with people.

I bought a  set of church clothes for our son with bowtie.  I wanted to see how he would look like with it, I think he looked cute.  The most important thing was the fact that he liked it.  It is hard to shop for clothing for my little guy, he does not like to try clothes on at all.  I was surprised that the clothing I bought him online fit him perfectly.  

Hubby  never liked wearing  suit but  for Christmas, he didn't mind.  He only wear suits on funeral, job interviews, and  Christmas mass.   

Ever since  I started the one-photo-a-month project, they gotten used to taking photos with little resistance so I  think I will have to keep going on that.  It's good to look back to old photos and see how much they have grown.  

The mass was beautiful.  The voices of the children singing  are like the bonus to  receiving the good news.

I hope that you all had a great Christmas celebration.  We had a simple but very meaningful one.

Below is the video I recorded while the kids and hubby opened their presents.  This is the first time that we woke up  before the kids did.  I think it's because my daughter was not feeling well.  For some reason, both of the kids had a sore throat.  I gave them some ginger tea and they feel a little better.  Today, my daughter is down with  a flu, she feels horrible.  I am just glad they are on Christmas break and doesn't have to go to school.  They can rest and relax.

2017 Monthly Family Pictures #MissionAccomplished

At the start of this year, we were talking about things to do as a family that we could stick to.  We thought it would be fun to take family pictures every month.   This is the last  photo of us together for the year 2017.  I am not sure if we will keep what we have started but I thought  would be a fun thing to look back to after the year has passed.

December 2017

In November, we decided to go to Sugarcreek Ohio to see how it looks like in the Fall.  On our way home, we dropped by at Tappan Lake  totake our family picture.  I came prepared, I took our tripod on our trip.  I love the birds on the background.

November 2017

October was fun, we attended my son's Football Banquet over at William Golf and Country Club in Marland Heights.  I will miss this  event next year if my son does not play.  He said he will take a break so we will see what he decide.  We don't want to  force him to play if he does not want to play.

October 2017

September was full of school activities so I was always out of the house and attending their events in school.  I am so blessed to be able to  witnessed every event that my kids have.  Being a work at home mom, I can say that  it has so many advantages.  I can't thank my husband enough for letting me 

September 2017

August was  my favorite.  We went on a vacation in Las Vegas and also had a road trip from Vegas to Arizona  and saw Grand Canyon.  It was  the most exciting  wedding anniversary we had, great way to celebrate our 14th year!  We also had an upset  moment  on this month as we lost a dear friend  to a cancer.

August 2017

Our daughter turned 12 in July.  This month was full of outdoor activities for us all.  We normally celebrate her birthday on  a vacation but  this was different because of conflict in schedule.  Nevertheless, we had fun during her birthday at home.

July 2017

June is my birth month, I turned 44.  Although my mind  still thinks I am in my younger 20s but my body says  otherwise lol.  Oh the  fun of getting old!

June 2017

May is  special, celebrating mother's day always makes me appreciate the sacrifices my Mom did  for us growing up.  So even if I have tough time with my own  motherhood experience sometimes, I always remember that my Mom  had it  worse than what I have.  If I would compare my experience to her, I  can totally say I am super blessed!

May 2017

April was the first Easter that we realized, my FIL was no longer with us.  We normally visit him but this time, he was gone.

April 2017

March was a tough month for us, we lost my husband's Dad.  He was a great father-in-law, he treated me like his own daughter so it was so tough for me and my kids.  But as hard as it was losing him, we were relieved that he finally rest in peace.  He lived a great life and left us great memories.

March 2017

Hubby turned 48 on this month.  He said, he has a couple of years to enjoy his 40s before  he turn golden lol.  I am so proud of this guy, he never gave up on continuing his education.  He is now on his last two subjects for his master's degree.  He will graduating next Spring.

February 2017

This was the  conceptualization of our goal of taking monthly family picture.  It was a fun  experience.  The kids are not up to it all the time  but I am sure, when they are  all grown, they would appreciate these photos that they can look back to.  Speaking of which, I have yet to print some of the highlights of our year.  I have been slacking of  printing photos, hopefully I can do it before the end of the year.  I have two more weeks to do it, we will see.

January 2017

Anyway, I wish you all a Merry Christmas. May the new year brings you all so much happiness, good luck and prosperity, and great slate of health.  God bless us all and thank you for being part of my online adventure.

5 Board Games that You Should Buy to Have Fun with Your Family

board game night at home

The advent of technology and smartphones has sucked away family life to a great extent. Kids have become more isolated from their parents, which in turn have proven to have a negative impact on their psychological and mental health. A healthy family environment and bonding between parents and kids is extremely important for positive mental growth and nurturing the kids in a healthy way. A good way to address this issue is to indulge in family board games. Here are some of the best board games that you should invest in to have some great family entertainment.

1. Sequence

Sequence is one of the most popular multiplayer games that emphasizes on strategy skills. It can be played by two or more players. The players can either play individually or can split themselves in teams. The game requires each player to draw a playing card from a deck of cards and place a colored chip on the matching space on the game board at the same time. On each turn the chips are placed on the board game and sequence of colored strand may or may not be created. The player who completes two sequences first wins the game. Being a multiplayer game that can be played with almost all age groups, Sequence is one of the most favorite family board games.

2. Monopoly

The famous classic Monopoly is one of the cult favorite board games that is fit for all age groups. This multiplayer board game also has a special variant for younger kids named Monopoly Kids. The game revolves around buying and selling properties and managing one’s finances, investments and loans. Monopoly can not only be a great choice for a family game night but can also help in teaching financial management skills to young kids.

3. Scrabble

Another classical favorite, Scrabble has remained one of the world’s most played board games. While the game can be truly enjoyed if the players are expert enough, however, it can also be a fun family game where kids and adults can compete with one another to build grids of words on the board. Scrabble is also a great game to make kids learn new words.

4. The Game of Life

The Game of Life is also an interesting classic family game that revolves around making key life choices such as marriage, employment, education and financial management. It is one of the most fun and entertaining family games to date.

5. Sudoku

Sudoku is a very addictive multiplayer game that is based on solving numerical puzzles through reasoning and logic. Sudoku game is very challenging and helps in positive brain development and problem solving and reasoning skills.

Since most board games are based on multiplayer layout, they are an excellent way to have fun and bond with other members in the family at the same time in a healthy and fruitful manner. Apart from that a good board game also develops mental strength and helps in strengthening skills such as problem solving and strategy

Surviving The Winter In Style: Essential Fashion And Beauty Tips

Winter is almost here, and while this heralds the start of the holiday season, it also brings cold weather. At this time of the year, the conditions can take their toll, but you don’t have to hide away and hibernate. Here are some fabulous fashion and beauty tips to help you survive the chill in style.

Your winter capsule wardrobe

In winter, the aim of the game is to be comfortable and warm as well as looking great. If it’s cold outside, you’ll need to layer up, but this doesn’t mean that your sense of style has to go out of the window. There are lots of different ways you can beat the chill and still look stylish. Invest in a couple of coats, one for more formal events and one for long walks and cheering on the sideline at football games, and make sure you’ve got footwear that will keep your toes warm and dry. Leather ankle boots are great because they go with both smart and casual outfits and trainers and fur-lined boots are ideal for outdoor activities.

While jeans and casual trousers are brilliant for winter, you don’t have to banish all your dresses to the back of the closet just because the temperature has dropped. You can use base layers, add tights and throw on a jacket or a cardigan to winter-proof your favorite styles from the summer. If you’re looking for dress outfit ideas, it’s a good idea to take a look at some fashion magazines and browse options online. You can style almost any dress for the conditions. Take a simple jersey maxi as an example. In the summer, you’d just add sandals, but to make this is a viable winter outfit, you can add tights, sneakers, an oversized woolen cardigan, a hat and a scarf.

Image from https://pixabay.com/en/woman-forest-black-hat-jacket-1150111/

Winter beauty rules

When it’s cold outside, it’s particularly important to protect your skin. If your skin is dry and your summer glow has long gone, make sure you moisturize frequently. It’s beneficial to swap light lotions for heavier creams and serums when temperatures tumble. Always remember to cleanse before you go to bed and exfoliate once a week.

If you’re struggling to adapt your look for winter, embrace some cold weather makeup trends. At this time of year, you can be bolder with color and opt for a slightly more dramatic look. Think a bright red lip, a smoky eye and fuller foundation coverage. Make sure you moisturize before you apply your base, as this will prevent dry spots and caking. You can use primer to create a smooth surface and setting spray to keep your makeup intact when it’s blowing a gale outside. Take care to get your foundation shade right. In the winter, most of us tend to be a little paler than in the summer, so you may need a lighter shade.

Image courtesy of https://www.flickr.com/photos/147926138@N06/31526029231

If you’re keen to look and feel great this winter, take these fashion and beauty tips on board. Adapt your wardrobe to ensure that you’re warm and cosy, as well as chic and stylish and take good care of your skin. Experiment with makeup trends and have fun trying new looks.