Baileys: With Spirit #WITHSPIRIT #CGC #spon

Putting spirit into everyday elements of your life, like work, home life and family is simple and can reap great benefits. Wondering how do I put spirit into my everyday elements of life?  

First things first, like anybody, I love waking up on the “right” side of bed in the morning, especially when I have to go to work! And in order to wake up in good spirits, I make sure to put a cheerful, upbeat (but not so crazy) song, like Natasha Betingfield’s, “Pocket Full of Sunshine” as my alarm. It’s way better than waking up to the regular alarm noise. I tend to switch up my alarm song’s every so often, just to switch up because I find that once I get used to a song, it doesn’t have the same “jump out of bed with a big smile on my face” effect.

Try putting a great song as your alarm, and notice how happy you wake up! Let me know if you give it a try.

Music, to me is an important way of putting me in good spirits; the rhythm, the lyrics, the beat always seems to have a positive effect on me during my day. While I am on the bus going to work, I love listening to a Honduran type of genre, called Punta. It is seriously the happiest music ever, that makes you want to dance the whole way to work. I’ve seriously shaken my hips on the bus, and gotten funny look, but hey, I don’t care! I’m happily enjoying myself,and this beautiful life I’ve got to live.

After a long day of nannying, and running errands, I put on some wind down, chill out music, like Ed Sheeran’s “A Team.” This type of music typically relaxes and soothes me as I take the bus home. I’m blessed that my wonderful husband more than often has dinner ready for us when I get home. And on random nights, especially in the winter, we’ll have a nice hot cup of coffee, and put BAILEYS® Irish Cream in it, to give us a nice warm buzz. Hahaha, in the summer on the other hand, we just pour the BAILEYS® over ice and sip it.

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

The benefits of putting some spirit into your daily life, is that you will live a more “stress free” and happy life. You have to remember to ENJOY YOUR LIFE and SMILE ALWAYS.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Red, Floral and Harry Potter Frames

I recently got my eyes checked, and let's just say my vision is HORRIBLE. The visit to the optometrist can be very expensive; the eye exam, lenses, frames and event contacts in one stop can easily cost over 300 dollars.

I went in with a plan: don't take my credit card, only cash to pay for what the appointment was for; an eye exam and contact fitting. So there I sat waiting for my name to be called, glancing at the latest trends for frames. An amazing pair of thick purple cat eye frames caught my attention and I just had to reach over; VERSACE. Y el golpe $300. I tried them on and fell in love..oh, if only I had brought my credit card...lol, wait that was the whole point, so I wouldn't buy frames that cost me an arm and a leg. Success.

A few days later, I received an email from Firmoo offering me a free pair of frames, lens included and free shipping in exchange for  shout out on my blog. I couldn't say no to this deal, hehehe. I searched their site for cat eye frames, but unfortunately, they didn't carry any. So I decided to go for the next look, a la Harry Potter; YES, I wanted some thick  black circle frames. Firmoo got me covered, they had some Harry Potter looking frames, and I ordered them ASAP.

My Firmoo frames arrived in just under two weeks. They came in a case, within a small suede sack with little tools that can be used to adjust the sizing/tightening, I think. The frames themselves are just what I was expecting. Not too big, not too small, just the right size. The metal is sturdy and not heavy at all. And the little nose pads are jelly-ish, comfy.

Honestly, I was a little nervous about how the frames would look on me, since they are a little different. But, I thought I'd take the risk and just get'em since they were free. So if I didn't like how they fit/look it wouldn't be a waste of money...

It definitely takes some time getting used to how I look in them. Some of my friend didn't even recognize me with my bangs and new frames, LOL. I don't know if they were pulling my leg or serious... what do you think?

Did I mention that Firmoo is offering a free FIRST pair of glasses? YES, check out their frames and choose the ones you like best! Read more information about their FIRST free pair here.

Disclosure: I  received the glasses from Firmoo.com.  All opinions are honest and 100% my own.

Lifeables: Organizing pictures, videos, and so much more!

Since I have family and friends in many corners of the world, the internet has improved how we connect throughout the years. Honestly, if it wasn’t for Facebook, I wouldn’t know what so many of my families and friends little babies look like. Thanks to these different social networks on the internet, like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram we’re able to have that online connection with family and friends who are near and far.

I enjoy sharing pictures, videos and posts on my various social networks, especially to Facebook, since the majority of my “friends” are family who reside in a different country. I love that I’m able to see photos of of loved ones during special moments in their lives, that I wasn’t able to attend, like a wedding, or a birthday. I love sharing photos of recent milestones with loved ones because that allows them to share the moment with me. I hope that when they are browsing through the photos, they feel as though they were there with me. For example, our wedding in Guadalajara, many of my family members from Honduras and USA were not able to attend, so we posted several of the photos onto Facebook so that they would be able to see our special night. During my wedding, I took various photos via my Instagram account to keep a record of what I looked like throughout the fun of getting hair and makeup done. I also tweeted a  few photos of my bridesmaids getting ready!

I have so many photos on different social networks, that sometime I get overwhelmed trying to organize (or download/screenshots) them manually, that I more than often give up.  But, recently I was introduced to Lifeables, which is kind of like a virtual scrapbook that organizes all of your photos, videos, posts and even events! It's super fast and easy to do. You sign up, connect your various social networks and let Lifeables do the organizing for you.

"Lifeables is the first service that automates the entire process of capturing, sorting through, organizing and displaying your family stories. In just seconds, Lifeables will filter through all of your content, bringing together the pictures, posts, videos and comments most important to you – formatting everything automatically." And to top things off, this product is completely secure and free! 

Now, all of my pre-wedding photos, tweets are organized! Hehehe, I think this product is especially awesome for organizing all of those milestones in your life; wedding, babies, graduation, trips, etc. What are you waiting for? Give it a try, it's FREE.

Disclosure: This post is compensated and in collaboration with Lifeables and Latina Bloggers Connect. OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

Why Avocados Are a Staple Food in My Family´s Kitchen

I  believe my obsession started years ago when I would visit family in Honduras because they ate aguacates at any time of the day; for breakfast, lunch, dinner..and snacks! I guess because they are grown local, so they aren't very pricey and very nutritious. 

I remember my cousin's would make us breakfast, and there were always avocados involved. Whether it was fresh handmade tortillas with avocado puree inside and a few sprinkles of salt, or the traditional Honduran breakfast (see last sentence in first paragraph). 

Things haven't change much these days, I'm still an avid avocado lover and have made my husband into one. Hahaha. I guess you can say that my husband and have a slight obsession with aguacates. If they weren't so expensive I think we'd eat them everyday, LOL. The great thing about avocados is that they go with anything. For example, we make tons of spicy guacamole during the summer months to accompany la carne asada. Yumm! We also make a mean avocado salsa for our killer quesadillas and burritas. And any Hondurans reading this now, know that avocados are a staple, especially for breakfast. Mmmm, got me drooling over here just thinking of some avocados con frijolitos fritos, eggs, mantequilla and platanos fritos (or tortillas). Oh, can't forget some quajada if you're lucky or stinky cheese ahahaha. Yup, avocados are a staple food in my family's kitchen!

One of our favorite breakfast meals is the SHRIMP'n'AVOCADO benny, hashbrowns and fresh fruit, con un buen cafecito y jugo de naranja on the side. I swear, if you don't like avocados, you will after I share this great SHRIMP'n'AVOCADO recipe! Hehehe, and if you are already an avocado lover, well, this is going to blow your mind.

When we first started making eggs benedict we had no idea how to make holladaise sauce, so we Googled it and tried a four different recipes over a couple months. The best recipe for Hollandaise sauce that we have found so far, is from the Food Network. We knew how to poach eggs, so we were ready to start cookin ;)

SHRIMP'n'AVOCADO Eggs Bennedict for Two.

Ingredients:

• 2 Avocado
• Mini Shrimp- I usually grab two large handful
• 4 Poached Eggs
• Hollandaise Sauce (Click here for recipe)
• 2 English Muffins

Steps:

1. Cut, peel and mash avocados in bowl
2. Make hollandaise sauce
3. Poach eggs 
4. Boil water in pot and when it comes to a boil, turn off and throw frozen shrimp in for 5 mins
5. Toast English muffins while shrimp cooking

Assemble:

1. Spread avocado mash onto both sides of sliced English muffin (repeat 3x)
2. Place a small handful of shrimp on top of each avocado (repeat 3x)
3. Apply poached eggs on top of shrimp (repeat 3x)
4. Generously drizzle hollandaise sauce over the eggs (repeat 3x)

If you like, you can slice up some fresh fruit and pop some hashbrowns in the oven, and you'll have a great 'ol breakfast!! Enjoy and let me know if you try it out!

If you are looking for some delicious avocado recipes, check out the Avocados from Mexico website, or their Facebook fanpage, where readers are sharing their favorite avocado recipes.

Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaign with Avocados from Mexico and Latina Bloggers Connect. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

GlassesUSA.com

I've been wearing glasses for almost eight years now, and as I look back at photos from the time I started wearing glasses to presently, I am 100% sure that eyeglasses should embody who you are. They should compliment your facial features and make you feel confident ;) Hahaha, that being said, I didn't realize that until about half way through this eyeglasses journey.

I recently discovered GlassesUSA.com, an online store dedicated to glasses. This easy to navigate website has a great variety of men's glasses, women's glasses, multifocal glasses and sunglasses. They also have a selection of designer glasses, that includes Calvin Klein, Diesel and Tom Ford! Yes, Tom Ford glasses at discounted prices!

Images from GlassesUSA.com

A special feature that I enjoyed on GlassesUSA was their "Virtual Mirror." It's a fun way to "try on" prescription eyeglasses of your choice. So awesome, especially because I had to try things on before I buy them, hence why I've never bought clothes online, but that's a whole other story! The "Virtual Mirror" is very easy and fast to follow! First you select your gender, then upload a photo of yourself and finally you pick your frame. Give it a try!

I don't think I've had this much fun shopping for eyeglasses before! GlassesUSA just makes it so easy to narrow down your search for your perfect high quality frames and lenses. For example, you can select frame shape, material, colour, brand, and even price range!

Make sure to check out the large collection of cheap glasses, which includes "every and any style that [you] may want or need." Yes, even those swanky retro Tom Ford's, or some sweet vintage inspired gold circle Perry Ellis! Also, take a look at their "Best Sellers" tab, there are some cute tortoise wayfers under $80.

When you order glasses from GlassesUSA, you can take 15% off and get free shipping on your entire order (orders over $50). Code: FS15. Also, take 10% off any order of prescription glasses. Code: Blog10. GlassesUSA offers a 110% lowest price guaranteed and a 100% Satisfaction guaranteed along with a generous refer-a-friend program.

Disclosure: I was compensated for this post, but all content/opinions are my own.

Heart of Haiti, Myrta Balan

Gifts that give back are undoubtedly the best. Now I am sure that everyone remembers the natural disaster that shook Haiti in 2010. The earthquake left the citizens of Haiti distraught; without resources, jobs, food, etc.

Heart of Haiti is a collection of serve-wear, home decor, and jewelry. Each piece is hand-crafted by Haitian artisans, like  Myrta Balan, who made the bracelet I received. 

By purchasing products from the Heart of Haiti collection, found at Macy's, you will be helping a Haitian artisan provide food, clothing and other daily necessities for their families. They will be able to pay for their children's school fees, and make repairs to their homes. But most importantly, they will have a steady income. Price ranges are from $10-$60, and they are actually on sale right now! Click here to view the collection.

A bonus, is that the materials used to create these beautiful Haitian crafts are made from either recycled, or raw materials!

Myrta Balan is the first woman metal artisan in Croix de Bouquets. Her inspiration comes from the Tree of Life, which symbolizes the goodness and bounty of the universe. Sharing this joy with you is what inspires her to continue to create and teach others this unique craft.

Get to know the amazingly talented artisans that bring life into Heart of Haiti. Click here to read their moving stories.

Disclosure: This is not a paid post, it is part of the Heart of Haiti campaign with Latina Bloggers Connect. I did receive the bracelet, pictured in the post as a gift.