"Making Moves"

Nothing stops you more than all the little monsters your mind creates, especially when it comes to persuing your goals.

Today, I took a chance and I noticed that the more you do something the more comfortable you become. The challenge to make this video, (which needed to be within a minute), made me laugh, got me upset, made me feel insecure, had me saying things that I didn't even know where it came from but most importantly it made me feel confident to keep striving and enjoy the experience.

Enjoy Take 1:

This was by far the funniest video, my husband and I could not stop laughing. I don't think anyone can talk over a toddler. Man, this little one was persistent and needed to get her point across. She gave me a life lesson with her persistency LOL!

Take 2:

I got stuck!!!!! But kept going to make my final video

And, the final video which hopefully will lead, WINNING!!!!! Wish me luck and I hope you enjoy. Please don't be shy, leave your comments on the YouTube post.

http://youtu.be/-8nR-1ayNXY


Julia S Gutierrez

"Snickers Time"

Weather it's your favorite chocolate snack or not, you have to admit Snickers commercials have some humor and their slogans are catchy. I on the other hand have found a new respect for this chewy & nutty chocolate bar, I call it: Snicker time! It's that deep breathe get away from it all moment, you know that quiet time you look for when you come home after a hectic day of work or even the alone time you long for after dealing with the kids.

It started with a visit from one of my sister in laws, she came over to see the newborn with the "clan" as we call our family, to see my newborn. After hearing five kids playing, screaming and fighting and two husbands going at it with a competitive game of Madden, we decided to take a quick trip to the store. She had the great idea of getting a snickers bar. So we paid, got into the van, split the bar between us  and enjoyed it as if we were two kids who were doing something mischievous, laughing the whole time. We both knew what the other was thinking: no screaming kids, or loud husbands. Just two Mommies sitting there enjoying a piece of chocolate without having to share....aaaahhhhh, so delicious.

A few weeks later Jimmy, my husband and I were doing seperate errands and suddenly we came across the same path as we headed home. To my amazement, guess what I see him devouring??? Yes, a snickers bar! After my deed, I had mentioned my little secret to my husband as if admitting a crime I had committed. But as we walked in together, we both just laughed as he gave me my due half. I'm sure he needed that "snickers time" especially having being in a house surrounded by all females. I know I definitely look forward to some alone time with my snickers bar after dealing with three kids who are all under the age of five!

No, I do not have any endorsement deals with Snickers yet. But after all that is said and done, my true favorite venture with this delicious chocolate bar is sitting in the van with my two precious princesses asking for a piece of Mommy's favorite chocolate. There is nothing more satisfying than breaking one bar into four little pieces for my clan, aaaahhhhhh.

Julia S Gutierrez

Reevaluating Your Goals!

We're entering the second week of summer and many are excited to go show off what they have worked so hard for the past 6 months. Others, well they are thinking what is the fastest way to get toned or to shed away a few pounds. Weather your "New Years Resolution" was to get toned for the summer or to get started on a new career, there is still time to get started or finish with whatever your goal was set to be. I'm here to get you back on track with this video from Anthony Robbins I came across.


But, think about this for a moment, most of the time people set their "New Year's Resolution" they never go back to reevaluate where they are with their goals. One of the most important things when setting these "resolutions" is to see them written down daily and visualizing yourself to get them done. At this point, you're six months in and can't make up for lost time but what you can do is REEVALUATE. Reevaluate where you are with that goal you set, look at how far you have come to meet those goals. Maybe you exceeded what you wanted to achieve and you can start thinking of new goals or maybe you completely forgot what you set yourself out to complete this year. It's all about your attitude, keep it as positive as you can especially when it comes to YOU! As I like to say, "What you expect, is what you will get." I hope I got you excited enough with this little reminder to get yourself back on track with your goals. 


Now, take 30 min and listen to this video. Remember it's NEVER too late to achieve your goals. Enjoy the prosperity!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLu-qYS92lw

Julia S Gutierrez

"Be Grateful for All and Everything You Have"

In life, there are experiences you go through. Some will help you see things in a different perspective. I hope that by reading the following experience you realize that being grateful isn't just realizing what you have but also finding a way to help those in need.

About a year ago, a friend asked me to attend a charity event to help a school in need. Due to the devastating earthquake Haiti had experienced in 2010, they lost many things including family and friends. I didn't think twice about attending, but I was captivated by the fact that my friend was going to make a trip to Haiti and help those in need. Well, she kept her word, she made the trip and came back with a different view on life. This is her view:

Back home, every day I manage to find at least one thing to complain about; just one thing in my selfish mind that I feel I will die without. I have lived my life searching for material things that will feed my life and make it complete, but those things never seemed to fulfill me. I have good health,  a stable job, a home, food on the table everyday (and not just once a day), great friends and a wonderful family, I even have pets. Don't get me wrong, I'm neither rich nor do I live what our society would call a "comfortable life" but I have so much more than many others.  A recent trip to Haiti, taught me a harsh but vital truth: Be grateful for all and everything you have!

We landed! As soon as I stepped out of the aiport the life of Haiti hits me right in the face, it's not shy at all! A nice bus ride to the terminal and a local band playing in the entrance of the terminal gives you a real sense of the country. A country fighting to improve their lives and ways of living. A country, that even though all odds are against them, still dances, laughs and smiles and what smiles they have! 

Now, close your eyes and picture this; the air is dry and dusty. There are buildings, houses, and businesses that have crumbled down or will with any other slight movement of the earth. Picture a ton of communities where a home is only a camping tent and this is if you are fortunate enough to have a roof over your head. Imagine living in a place where running water is a luxury. A place where the main sources of transportation is walking or if you are lucky enough to have some money you can get on a motor taxi or the back of a pick-up truck. Think of taking a bath outside of your home with buckets of water or taking a bath at the nearest river, I mean having to walk a few miles just to wash clothes.  Imagine having to walk to the town plaza, the nearest church ,or the nearest store that has electricity to sit under a light to study for school because at home having electricity is not an option. Can you imagine your life without the essential things you have, water, light, gas, a home and food? Yet everyday we take all these things for granted. Let's go beyond this, think about your life without "the perks" of our everyday life, computer, phones, Internet access, car, shoes, name brand clothes and eating out 2-3 times a week. All of this and we still want more, we are still unsatisfied. Still in the midst of all the needs the people of Haiti have, I see people laughing and being grateful for what they have. People talking and sharing memories amongst each other, children playing, waving to you and as your eyes meet theirs they give you a huge bright sweet smile as if they had no worries in their lives at all. It breaks my heart to see how the people of Haiti live! Yet we're the ones always wanting more and complaining about it. 

Now you may be asking yourself why would I be sharing all of this? What do I want you to do? If you are I'm glad I got your attention! I'm not going to sugar coat it: I'm sharing this because most of us live a very ungrateful life and its time to reevaluate and evolve, it's time to change! 

I am asking two things of you today:

My first one is to be honest with yourself. When was the last time you said, I'm happy, my life is wonderful, I'm the luckiest? Believe me I'm not implying that life does not have it's tough, crappy and at times even heart breaking days. We all go through trauma and obstacles but yet we all have so much more than others. Let's take an oath and promise ourselves to be grateful, even if today the only thing you can be grateful for is another day.

My second thing today is to share some of what you have. Let's stop being selfish. We all struggle, we all have needs, but I bet you can always find someone in more need than you. I know I will not stop hunger by myself or homelessness but I can help. I'm not asking that you take away from your family. Just think of how many things you spend money on every week that you don't absolutely need. The average family now a days eats out 2-3 days a week. Make it 1 day a week and take $50 dollars to give to a needy family. Take one month a year and don't buy any new clothes, shoes, furniture etc and donate the money instead to a charity. It's truly really easy if we stop thinking of our needs only. Believe me the feeling you will receive from helping others will be more rewarding than any new item you can buy for yourself or your family.

Be grateful for all and everything you have!

   Ligia Diaz

"Confidence through Small Eyes"

While walking the Malls, I always wondered: "What the heck was that parent thinking, letting their kids walk out the house with that outfit on?" I was right in thinking that the parents obviously had no control with these kids, of course I didn't have kids at the time. But, NOW that I have two kids and one on the way I am ready to take on whatever outfit my kids feel confident with. Besides what else can I do, when we really have no control in what our kids say, do or wear, right? I hope you enjoy this story as much as I got to experience it.

It's Friday evening and we're ready to go for a walk at the mall. As we're walking out , Jazmine our 3 year old grabs her pigeon hat, Yes her pigeon hat and puts it on. At this moment, my Husband and I looked at each other and silently giggled, we were both thinking one thing and one thing only, "I hope she's not planning on wearing that in the mall." Yup, she was! So, I said, "Jazzy you can take it but we'll leave it in the car, ok?" She whines "No, I want to wear it, I made it in school" and Daddy says, "Jazzy you can leave it here and wear it when we get back." She didn't cry, she didn't whine but she gave the most unselfish response a kid could give "But Daddy it will make people Happy." We smiled and carried on to the car with the pigeon hat on.

I was taken back by her confidence, for the simple fact that as we start "maturing" we feel like we have to look and do things according to everyone else's standards.

As we walked the mall, she was mistaken for "angry birds," she was laughed at, stared at, questioned, and Jazmine walked around as if nobody existed except her and her hat. At one point she saw someone laughing and she said, "See, it makes them happy." She was focused on her idea of wearing that hat and she did it confidently. 


At the school she currently attends, they are reading stories from Mo Willems (http://www.mowillems.com). Please grab your child and enjoy the video below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V10jhsNIMI8


Julia S Gutierrez