WOW

Life has been so busy I forgot all about this blog.

Where Have I Been

I haven't been on blogger in forever.

A New Year

Every year I have so many goals. Save money. Make more money. Eat healthier... But this year is a little different working for myself is finally paying off. So I feel better about my decision to leave the work force. We have a new baby boy. So I am happy I won't have to return to work in a few weeks. This my goal is to take it easy, read more, organize my house and enjoy my family.

Our New Addition

Coupon Queen...Saving Money

As far as I can remember I have always loved clipping coupon. I don't know maybe it is the thrill of seeing my balance decrease on the screen at the register. Now that we are expecting a new baby... Oh yeah forgot the little detail on the previous posts :) coupons have become more valuable. I have also found that shopping around in addition to coupons really saves. Here are a few tricks to save money.

1. Check the sales ads on Sunday
2. Clip Coupons
3. At stores that have their own coupons, you can usually use manufacturer coupons in addition
4. Only buy what you will need for the next week or so.
5. Have friends look out for coupons or sales for you
6. Sign up for coupons at manufacturer web sites.

Stretching the Dollar

Recent Changes:
Previously / Current

Downgraded AOL to Email Only/McAfeeVirus 11.99/mo 4.99/mo
(I will using my connection from the Cable company)

SAVINGS $7.00 mo = $84.00/ yr

Netflix Downgrade from 2 unlimited DVD's / mo 13.99/mo 4.99/mo
to 2 DVD's / mo

SAVINGS $9.00/ mo = $108.00 / yr

Time to Focus

So I have been cleaning out my closet and I found a ton of clothes with the tags still on them! I can't believe it. So I went to Ebay and sold them now I have extra cash. In addition I have been looking at our household expenses. There are a lot of place that we can cut back. Netflix, we hardly ever use it. I already downgraded our cable. We can also cut back on the number of times per month we eat out.

Growing

My daughter told me the other day "Mama, don't call me a baby I'm a big girl." How can this be ? I still remember watching her move in my belly, being in labor, my water breaking, and then the dreaded Cesarean. I remember watching her sleep that first night. I remember Daddy telling me "she looks like me." He was smiling so I let him have this moment. Now she is so independent. She likes to pick out her own clothes, dictate her hairstyles, and create her own menu's. These have been the fastest 3 years of my life and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Getting Over a Cold

Oh I feel so much better. After sweating like I have been in a sauna and coughing until I felt like my head would pop off, and having my nose turn red for a few days I feel like my old self. My daughter started school in the beginning of the month and already caught a cold. Lovely! So she decides to share with her mama. I have mixed feeling about school. I get upset when people bring their children to school sick. When my daughter is sick she stays at home! When she was younger she went to daycare for about 7 months and then she stayed with my aunt while I was at university. But now that I work from home I am able to stay with her. I sent her to school because I was afraid she won't adjust well when it is time for Kindergarten.

Cool Etsy Finds

Etsy Buy Handmade DeLaTierra

Outrage over Kanye

I do not really care that much about the lives of celebrities. My days are consumed with the business of babies, politics, and running a business. I read CNN and several other news, information sources on a daily basis. That being said I was not surprised when Kanye West jumped on the stage at the mTV awards . In my opinion MTV Awards are a tacky venue anyway. I mean he has always seemed a bit arrogant, but no more than many politicians, so I was not surprised by his outburst. My personal opinion is he is not dealing well with the loss of his mother and is acting out as any child would. But he is not the first. Maybe people just really hate Kanye West, were outraged by his behavior or were upset because he disrespected a white woman. I am leaning to the latter. I feel that if he had jumped on stage while Mary J. Blige was on stage we might not have had so much press coverage. But it seems that we give more coverage to Kanye acting irrationally than to a female Yale student who was murdered and stuffed in a wall , a woman who was beaten in front of her child and called a nigger and bitch in a Georgia after she confronted him about almost hitting her child with the door, a man who raped a disabled man and locked him in a public restroom, or the state of our economy. Where is the outrage about an 11 year old boy stabbed on a bus in San Francisco while other passengers looked on ?

The color of family

3 years ago I delivered a 9 pound bundle of joy and for some reason people kept taking double takes and asking if she was my daughter. Lets see Cesarean scar...check...my nose...check...Papa's color check... Yep she mine!

Just another day....

So I come from a multicultural family. My family looks like the United Nations. I also speak and understand Spanish. Being that most people in California are shocked when a person who does not appear to be Mexican speaks Spanish. You would be surprised the number of conversations I have silently translated, while appearing non the wiser. To most people I am black. Which means what ? Oh yes only that I have darker skin than some. I must have missed the part where dark skin = no Spanish speaking skills. People are even shocked when I tell them my daughters name. Well hell do you know anything about my family? What about my other half? They look at me as if I just sprouted a horn! So Yesterday I was in the post office with my daughter and a male employee who appears to be Asian engages in conversation with a Mexican employee. Basically he was talking about a Black woman who works there and causes alot of drama. I am not sure why but as soon as the word "negra" = "black woman" comes out the female tries to change the subject. I suspect that she might have realized that I was able to translate the conversation. At first I wanted to ask him have you ever been to Columbia, Cuba, La Republica Dominicana, hell do you know anything about the history of Veracruz,Mexico ? Do you know who my beloved Celia Cruz "was"? But I just shook my head and told Alejandra (my daughter) to stop writing on their customs forms.

Craving Ethiopian Food

Now I am a girl who loves some good food. I like to cook and luckily my family loves my cooking. But lately I have been craving the spice. I've tried it all Jamaican, Ghanian, Ethiopian, Indian, Salvadorean, Pakistani, Afghani, Korean, Japanese... you get the picture. Now the Jamaican place up the street has gone down hill fast. I mean full speed with a set of rollerblades on and no brakes. But my favorites have to be Ethiopian and West African food. Lately I have been craving Ethiopian injera. Injera is a stable in Ethiopian food. It is a flat sour bread with a sponge like consistency that is used to scoop food up. So I headed to my little Ethiopian place in downtown got my food to go and went home. I ordered Kitfo, which is a beef dish usually serve raw or rare(had mine cooked) with spices and clarified butter on top of injera. I was satisfied except they forgot my peppers on top.

Etsy finds for the kitchen

Sometimes I just can't help myself. I'm on Etsy all day either listing or looking. Today I came across this cutting board and coasters. I am in love! The rich woods are beautiful . Best off all the crafter lists all treatments applied to the wood. The choice of woods are Black Walnut, Cherry, Hard Maple and Oak, and all from Massachcettes. For $49.00 this is a steal. You can visit tauntongreen and check this and other awesome wood items including earrings.

Cutting Board:
12 1/2W X 16 1/4L X 3/4 inches thick
Coasters:
4" square with a caddy

My daughter wants to play futbol

A few months back my daughter and I went to look for pillows and clothes at Ross. Before I could stealthily turn the corner she spies a Diego soccer ball. Great ! Now she wants to know what is this kind of ball and where can we play with it. I explain to her that this game is called futbol , but realizing she might confuse this with American football. I explain to her this is soccer and the objective. She is excited, so I buy it. She informs me that I don't need to teach her how because " my dad knows how to play these things!". Well a few months later she is actually good for a 3 year old. I hope to find her a team to play on.

Mortgage Cake Baker Partners with Online Cake Seller

Mortgage Cake Baker Partners with Online Cake Seller

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Carol's Daughter Disney Princess Line

I am so excited about the new Disney Princess. Not only because she's black because she is portrayed as elegant and beautiful. So as I am browsing the web to day I found out that Carol's Daughter will have a limited edition Disney Princess Tiana line (expected in October) and items will be priced around $10.00 each. My daughter already uses the Hair Milk and I want to try the detangler on her hair, so this gives me an excuse to go buy the collection.

Cute Items for Baby and Tots on Etsy.com

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade DeLaTierra.etsy.com

Our Seeds are Growing

This is so exciting. Just a mere 5 weeks ago we bought some soil and flower seeds and our flowers are almost here. We planted Texas Blue Bonnets and Marigolds.