feelings

I'm not sure what inspired me today, but I felt like writing here.  Maybe because it's been so long.
Maybe because I have just slightly more time on my hands these days. Maybe because I missed it.

So, we live in Colorado now....my beautiful LA...will always be casa but new experiences and new opportunities, it's not right to say no to.

Jeremiah will be starting his senior year of high school, he still likes chocolate milk.
And gaming.  Someone tell me how to reduce the gaming and increase the schoolwork!?!?!

He's a good kid. That does pretty well in all he does.  He won't ever admit it....but he has a pretty cool mom, bringing up a kid as cool as he is :)

And he handled our transition from California to Colorado. He misses how colorful LA is, with all the cultures, and swag :) of coarse (I miss it too),  but he's made good friends here, and I'm proud of how well he has done.


Audrey has a big part of her hair missing on the back of her head.  It's noticeable and it's Franks fault. He put slime in her hair. And I tried everything. Soap, water baby oil. The scissors finally did the trick.
She has her best cousin close by to play with.  She loves her school.  She reminds me of California sometimes, "mom, remember when we used to...... in California". I do.

Frank had sports class today. It's his second class and cried twice and has been shy, and has refused to participate. Which is weird, because he is not shy at all at home. And he loves the ball.
But, he's Frank. A tiny little bit antisocial, takes him a bit to warm up.  Just like it took him a bit to warm up to school here.  But I know he can do it.  I'm the mom on the sideline with my boy attached to my leg because he's too shy to go out there. Advice? Both Audrey and Jeremiah have never been shy about participating in group activities, which is proof again, that every one of our babies is different. And that we love them just the way they are.

As for me, I'm here. I have found some pretty yummy restaurants out here. But no taco truck:/ And no pupusas:/ Kip and I have been drinking a little bit of beer, because Colorado has so many breweries. It's only right. 

I need a pedicure, and my hair done.  And can now say I have driven in a snow storm. In my minivan.
I sent a picture of a dress I was thinking of buying, which is pretty sexy (maybe too much) to my best friend back home the other day. I asked her if it was too revealing for me to wear.

She answered.  "You are never going to be this young again, buy the dress!"
I did.

easy summer

It was a really good weekend. Saturday we had a party here at home to celebrate Audrey's 5th birthday, she had such a great time... first thing she said to me this morning "that was the best birthday party ever!" (pictures soon).

This morning we stayed in pajamas till late, cleaned up after yesterday's party and checked out all the fun presents she received.

We spent the hot afternoon visiting friends, grilling goodies and splashing in their pool. All of us in the mood of summer. We each brought food and drinks to share and I think this is my favorite part of summer.


Something so simple as getting together in the backyard,  spending time with family, sharing a drink with friends and eating all the simple yet delicious foods of summer can remind you how thankful you are for being here, and having the chance to live another summer.


I love how easy it is to feel satisfied with a dish of fresh salads and fruits... add a chicken breast or hot dog on the grill and it makes a dish extra special.

Fresh & Easy sent us a gift card to help us enjoy the freshness of food this summer.  It's one of my favorite places to shop because of how easy it is to grab something good for my family to eat.  Their ready made dishes and ingredients are always fresh and it's always nice not having to worry about artificial colors or flavors. Iv'e bragged about Fresh & Easy to you before....not only do they make weeknight dinners a whole lot easier...they make summer grilling a lot of fun.

We packed our bag high with fruit, lemonade, a yummy salad, chips and everything we needed to grill with friends.  For dessert we chose ice cream, they have the yummiest ice cream!

I hope your weekend was as much fun as ours!!!

I have a Fresh & Easy coupon to share with you (expires July 7th), it will make your summer grilling extra yummy!

PS. There are no plans to close any portion of Fresh & Easy, not sure who the knew owner will be...but it's definitely staying open!  This makes me really happy!

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

summer

  I sit with feet swinging in the water, watching Audrey splash water in all directions, baby Frank sits on my lap sucking on a soggy potato chip. 

The kids don't have school tomorrow, no summer camp, no playdate or anything at all planned.  They might watch a little too much TV or eat too many popsicles. 

And I feel free. 

It's summer. 

Juanes in Concert (Weekend Giveaway)

Disclosure: Brisk Iced Tea is providing the prizes for this program at no cost to me. I received no type of compensation. This program is not administered or sponsored by Brisk Iced Tea or its affiliates, but solely by Culture Mami. 

Hola queridas! The weekend is here and I'm really happy to start it out with an awesome giveaway! 

Brisk Iced Tea has partnered with Grammy award-winning, Colombian singer-songwriter, Juanes to support his 2013 U.S. Loud & Unplugged Tour. Through this partnership I'm giving one lucky Culture Mami mami in the Los Angeles area the chance to see Juanes live in concert!

This is perfect for you LA area mom's in need of a mom's night out with a girlfriend, sister or a date night with hubby. I'm in need of one! :)

The Giveaway!

One of you will win a Bold Brisk Bag that includes: 

two priority tickets to Los Angeles Juanes concert (May 25th at the Nokia Theatre),

an autographed Juanes poster, and a $50 Amex gift card. 

LA moms, if you were a Bold Brisk flavor....which one would you be? 

Lipton Brisk Sweet Iced Tea

Lipton Brisk Mango Iced Tea

Lipton Brisk Ginseng Iced Green Tea

Lipton Brisk Raspberry Iced Tea

I would definitely be a Lipton Brisk Raspberry Iced Tea, because I love the word Raspberry in Spanish... Frambuesa.

To enter leave a comment letting me know your flavor, I'll pick a winner on Monday, May 20th, email you if you are the winner and have Brisk send you the Bold Brisk Bag!

For a second chance to win, share this giveaway on twitter with the hashtag #AlEstiloBrisk ... and leave a comment letting me know you did. 

Suerte!!

*contest in now closed. Lex @laprimera won the Bold Brisk Bag by random drawing. Congrats!

Kate Spade South of the Border

Kate Spade South of the Border by marcelabeatty featuring kate spade tote

It's like 100º in Pasadena today! Ahh! I'm in a tank top, shorts and sandals.... and very much feeling all these summer accessories.
Paletas, colores..and a bottle opener necklace. All summer must haves. (:

Happy Mother's Day!

Have a beautiful weekend! xoxo

Aveeno is throwing a twitter party...and you're invited

I always have fun at these...and hope you can come and hang out with us as we chat all things beauty and skincare.  I along with some most fabulous ladies will be hosting the twitter party and introducing you (if you aren't in love already) to their Aveeno Active Naturals skin care line. 

I've gotten a chance to try all these products myself and can't wait to share my thoughts and answer any questions while we talk all things Aveeno.

Some of my favorites:

Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 30

I wear this daily. It blends away my imperfections and protects my skin from the sun.  It's a must if you live in sunny weather. I'm pretty happy with being able to moisturize, add a little color and protect my skin from the sun all at the same time. It's a time saver...something that is always appreciated. 

Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Cleansing Pads

Call me lazy but I love me some cleansing pads. I really dislike the clean my makeup off wash my face dry my face routine... I usually leave that for the shower. These pads are soap-free, oil-free and hypoallergenic, they are good at removing the oil, dirt and makeup after a night at work or a day running around after the kids yet still sensitive enough for my skin. Another time saver!!

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion

This oatmeal based lotion always leaves my skin soft. Audrey and I both suffer from eczema (mine gets really bad when I'm stressed) and this really helps with the itchiness and dryness. I also love using it at work after all the frequent hand washing I do. 

Are you using Aveeno? We would love to hear about your experience!

Join us Wednesday April 22d at 9pm EST/ 6pm PST on twitter by following the hashtag #AveenoActiveNaturals. 

Make sure to follow the hosts @chicanol @clubdelasdiosas @mamaholistica @mejoramihogar @mom2miahaudrey and @naturalmentmama along with moderators @LBConnect and @laflowers

Three winners will win a $150 prize pack filled with Aveeno products and a gift card!

Can't wait to see you at #AveenoActiveNaturals twitter party,  

Marcela xoxoxo

on three

It's been awhile. Sorry friends. It seems loving on three hasn't left me with a lot of extra time.

Baby Frank is seven months old. I am absolutely in love with him. His smile. His laugh. His big stretches in the morning when I unwrap him from his swaddle. I feel so needed and loved by him.

He has recently discovered how to clap his hands. It's my favorite.
And has also discovered that he really dislikes being left alone to play or not being carried.

I might as well call Jeremiah a teenager because it's just a few more months before he turns thirteen. He sure is acting like one. (: He sleeps more and eats more and is taller than I am. He is still trying to find his balance between friendships, social life, school work and responsibilities and I'm still finding the best way I can be there for him through all of this, give him the privacy he needs and still shower him with love. He is kind, so helpful and I am so proud to call him my son. 

Audrey started preschool this year. She loves all the friends she's made. Loves the projects, and the art and everything she is learning. She's become quite the dictionary and is excited to tell us about the new word of the day she has learned at school. She's also learned all the continents and makes sure she lets everyone know. 

She enjoys dressing herself and picking out her outfits and if I let her will pick out the frilliest, most pink, and glittery outfit she can find every time. 

She's good at driving me crazy. She's a go get it, won't take no for an answer type of person... I love it and dislike it all at the same time. As divalicious as she is sometimes she is perfect. A sweet and darling friend. My favorite lunch date and shopping partner. 

Juggling three is tough. They are all in such different stages of their lives and most days I'm not very good at finding the time, energy and patience each of them needs. I'm a work in progress...all I can promise to be good at is love them no matter what. 

LA Auto Show

Last night, I laid in bed with the kids, breastfed Frank and talked with Audrey about the North Pole (apparently, it has lots of jelly beans). While the kids and I hung out it bed getting sleepy, Kip took over kitchen duty. He put leftovers away, put dishes in the washer and tidied things up. 

We were sent tickets and have plans to go to the LA Auto Show this weekend, something special for the boys. 

If you're local and looking for something fun to do, the LA auto show is a good choice. This is the last weekend (through Dec. 9th) to check out all the high-end sports cars, wild futuristic concepts and green alternative fuel technologies.  

Your hubby probably deserves it also. (:

xoxo Marcela

*No compensation was given for this post. Tickets were sent to me for review purposes. 

Thanksgiving 2012

Friends, family and good food. So thankful for every single day. 

our week

Baby Frank turned three months this past week. No longer the little itty bitty newborn but a big yummy baby filled with giggles and smiles for us. 

Both Jeremiah and Audrey are recovering from a bad cold. We've been staying in jammies a little longer, watching a little extra tv, and enjoying warm drinks.

Here are some more pictures from this week....

Filled Audrey's closet with great finds from Misha Lulu's trunk show and gave Karen and Ana extra big hugs.

A yummy brunch hosted by Ana at Fig Restaurant. Got a chance to share it with some extra special bloggers while we shared our thoughts with @timetoplay on what we look for when choosing toys. We came to the conclusion that toy makers need to listen to parents more...

sharing funny faces

I'm cleaning house today and having friends and family over tomorrow.

So much to be thankful for...

Marcela xoxo

November 17th World Prematurity Day

This post is compensated and in collaboration with Latina Bloggers Connect. 

November 17th is World Prematurity Day, a day dedicated to raise awareness on prematurity, the risks associated with preterm birth and a day to remember parents of preemies.

Preemies (born before 37 weeks gestation) are at an increased risk for serious medical complications and generally require days to months of care in the NICU. This can be extremely difficult on any parent. I personally experienced this as a young mother when Jeremiah was born. He had to be rushed to the NICU hours after being born (full term) due to blood complications and I can still remember how overwhelmed, scared, anxious and powerless I felt.

Seeing your newborn in the NICU can be very emotional. I prayed all the time for Jeremiah to come home and when that time finally came I remember how thankful I was. We were able to leave the NICU after just one week but  seeing all the babies that would have to stay longer due to more severe complications, most from prematurity was very sad.

Prematurity disrupts the development of some of baby's vital organs which includes their immune system and lungs making them more likely to develop infections and more susceptible to respiratory problems.  One virus in particular that parents of preemies should know about is respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV. Most kids will get RSV by the time they are two but usually with minor symptoms similar to a cold. Preemies however will have a more serious respiratory infection with more serious symptoms.

Here are some important things to know about RSV:

RSV Quick Facts

• RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalization, and severe RSV disease causes up to 10 times as many infant deaths each year as the flu.
• RSV is most prevalent during the winter months. The CDC has defined the “RSV season” as beginning in November and lasting through March for most parts of North America. 
• In addition to prematurity, common risk factors include low birth weight, certain lung or heart diseases, a family history of asthma and frequent contact with other children.

Prematurity and RSV in the U.S. Hispanic Community

• The current rate of preterm births in the U.S. Hispanic community is 11.66 percent. Since 2006, the preterm rate has declined 5 percent for Hispanic infants. 
• Data indicate that infants from U.S. Hispanic communities are at increased risk to develop severe RSV disease; while the exact reason for the increased risk is unknown, the increased prematurity rate is likely a contributing factor.                                                 
• Two-thirds of U.S. Hispanic mothers have never heard of RSV, and one in five U.S. Hispanic moms only becomes aware of RSV once their child has contracted the virus. 

Prevention is Key
RSV is very contagious and can be spread easily through touching, sneezing and coughing. Since there’s no treatment for RSV, parents should take the following preventive steps to help protect their child:

• Wash hands, toys, bedding, and play areas frequently
• Ensure you, your family, and any visitors in your home wash their hands or use hand sanitizer
• Avoid large crowds and people who are or have been sick
• Never let anyone smoke near your baby
• Speak with your child’s doctor if he or she may be at high risk for RSV, as a preventive therapy may be available

Know the Symptoms
Contact your child’s pediatrician immediately if your child exhibits one or more of the following: 

• Severe coughing,  wheezing or rapid gasping breaths 
• Blue color on the lips, mouth, or under the fingernails
• High fever and extreme fatigue

To learn more about RSV, visit www.rsvprotection.com and for more about the specialized health needs of preterm infants, visit www.preemievoices.com. You can also join the conversation online #WPD2012.


Let's take the time to educate an expecting parent, say a prayer or think good thoughts for families with preemies on November 17th World Prematurity Day.

Holiday Meals Made Simple with fresh & easy

Thanksgiving is next week... can you believe it!?! Are some of you dreading all the cooking...or looking for a simpler way to serve up a feast?

Fresh & Easy's Holiday Meals Made Simple is a smart and yummy solution! You can order a Turkey, Spiral Ham or Beef Rib Roast Dinner (feeds 6-8) online that comes with 3-4 sides and a pumpkin pie and pick it up at your local store on November 20th, 21st, or 22nd. The meals are affordable and give you several side options to choose from not to mention give you more time for all the things that really matter like spending time with family. It's also an excellent option for work parties!

You must place your order by midnight Thursday, November 15th to have it ready for pickup at your local store to enjoy with your family and friends next week. 

I'm really excited to try... this is perfect for busy moms.

Will you be preparing Thanksgiving dinner? Visiting friends? Having a Thanksgiving party at work?

*update 11/14: Last order date extended to midday Sunday Nov. 18th for pickup on Nov. 22nd

*Fresh & Easy sent me a gift card to try their Holiday Meals Made Simple. No other compensation given. 

Neutrogena Oil-Free Pink Grapefruit Line

*This is a compensated post and in collaboration with Neutrogena and Latina Bloggers Connect

I am so bad about washing my face every night. It always seems like so much work...doesn't it? These days putting on my makeup is a big enough feat and by the end of the day I seriously just want to get in bed.... just thinking about cleaning my face makes me exhausted. This is bad, I know, and my face suffers, my lingering postpartum hormones don't help much either, the ones that make me sweat like crazy. I don't think I have ever had so much sweat ... yet I don't think I have ever mothered a tween, chased a four year old around and taken care of an infant all at the same time either. 

Last week I was sent the Neutrogena Oil-Free Pink Grapefruit line to try, and actually made an effort to dedicate just a small amount of time to my face. I tried both the facial cleanser and scrub, went to bed this week with clean and refreshed skin, and woke up free and clear of yesterdays makeup and overnight breakouts. Yay! I also tried and completely fell in love with their Oil-Free Cleansing Wipes. They are the best for busy mornings! I was able to grab a wipe and clean my face all while eating breakfast, changing diapers, looking for my car keys and running around trying to get everyone out of the house and in the car. The wipes have a very yummy scent to them and left my skin feeling really soft. They are also perfect post working out or nights when washing your face is just too difficult...(:

The end of the year is flying by and time seems to just slip away during this season, stress and breakouts accompany and I usually dedicate less and less time for myself. This end of the year season along with not stressing so much over gifts and spending more time with family I want to spend more time taking care of me. I making a promise to myself to take the time out to wash my face every night, use a scrub regularly and use extra moisturizer to keep my skin looking healthy. 

What are your facial cleansing habits like? Have you tried the Neutrogena Grapefruit Line?

Don Francisco's Coffee Pair Nation Contest (Giveaway)

Don Francisco's Coffee has a great contest on their FB page. You can share your favorite coffee pairing or personal recipe for a chance to win coffee and be entered for the grand prize, a six month supply of coffee and a new Krups brewing machine. The best part... for each recipe entered Don Francisco's Coffee will donate five dollars to the LA Food Bank. 

It's really easy to enter!

 In celebration of their contest Don Francisco wants me to giveaway two coffee baskets! All you have to do is visit Don Francisco's Pair Nation page and either enter the contest (if you live in California or Arizona)  or vote for your favorite. Leave me a comment telling me you entered or telling me which pairing you voted for. If FB is not your thing than visit Don Francisco's Coffee and tell me which coffee you would love to try. I will randomly pick two winners on November 15 at 11:59pm and email you if you win. US only. 

My favorite pairing....

Don Francisco's french roast with french vanilla creamer...and a side of toast with butter!

*no monetary compensation was given for this post. A basket was sent to me for review purposes.

trick or treat 2012

phew. it was a busy week. 

We started off the week by picking out our pumpkin at one of the local pumpkin patches. I chose the simplest patch I could find for us to go...most of them have gotten so fancy with petting zoos, bounce houses, slides...pretty much anything to get you to spend money and forget about the reason you are there... pumpkin picking. 

We let the kids play with pumpkin guts till it started getting a little crazy and pumpkin guts were being thrown around the room...

and finally decided on a good face ...

Frank was Super Baby for his first halloween, a last minute find that suited him well. Audrey picked her costume weeks in advance...the day after Halloween she told me that the neighbors must have thought she was the real Princess Jasmine because they all called her "Princess Jasmine" when they answered their doors to give her candy. One afternoon the kids and I were grocery shopping at the market and Jeremiah put on a monkey mask he found in the Halloween section, he wore it around the store while we shopped and we thought it was hilarious so he decided that's what he wanted to wear. 

On Halloween he asked us how all the neighborhood kids knew it was him under the mask...we had lots of fun with him answering this question.( :

Hope all of you had a fun Halloween....I think I hear the Halloween candy bag calling me again(: