MUSEUMS ARE COOLER THAN THEY USED TO BE

I took Jude out for another fun activity on day two of week two during winter break. Today we hit the road towards the beautiful city of Pasadena for Kidspace Children's Museum. The location was perfect, only about 25 mins from where we live so no excuses! Admission was a little high for what it is at $13 each, infants under a year are free. 

["KIDSPACE" at the entrance] 

My initial thought was this place is perfect for kids in kinder and younger. Jude's first opportunity to go was when he was in TK (Transitional Kindergarten) and he declined...yes, he declined, because he didn't want to walk around. Thankfully he's out of his lazy stage and was ready to make the best of our trip and explore! 

When you first walk in there is a tunnel that leads you straight to the admission booths. In the tunnel we found tons of cool glass and electrical discs that reacted to your body temperature that stopped the static movement - aka super cool lights lol. 

Jude dressed himself today:

[Zara] Jacket

[Vans] Long sleeve top

[Zara] Trousers 

[VANS] Skate Shoes

This week at Kidspace they are have SNOW PLAY 

where the kids can make snowmen and have friendly snowball fights. Its man made snow so don't expect too much from it. I almost had Jude dress up in snow gear and I'm glad I did not. There we so many small children I was afraid Jude might play too rough so we skipped that activity. 

There was a mud and clay table outside which was something no parent looked forward to haha.

My son is an only child who lives for social interaction with other children. As a toddler I was enrolled in at least 1 mommy and me class so he learned to play well with others. Its still a struggle because he's also the youngest in the family and thinks he's the boss. I am grateful for these opportunities to see his face light up with excitement. 

[Jude in a truck that belongs to an archeologist]

As we moved around the grounds we discovered their ANT HOLE. 

That was his favorite part (stay turned to my vlogs for that experience).

Cookie decorating could be skipped but since it was on our list of things to do, we were the test dummies. The cookie was stale and decorations were limited. ($3 each)

The child in me wanted so badly to run around with him in the Hawks Nest. This area came with a ton of costumes which made the experience as a bird that much more fun. 

If you followed me from the start you know I felt uncomfortable about my son playing with guns. I felt like todays society normalizes violence and I didn't want to be a part of it - my son especially. Through my research and time spent with a therapist there was nothing odd, or alarming about his interest in weapons in general. Long story short - I eventually lifted the ban hahah and Jude was over the moon when he discovered this ball blaster. I wish there was an employee there to make sure each child had a limited amount of balls to shoot. I was behind a man with his two sons who used their shirts as baskets and held over 20 balls each *eye roll*. 

Overall we had a nice day and I enjoyed watching my son enjoy himself and exercise being a nice human with a ton of wild children running amuck. Jude said he would like to return to Kidspace one day, but there are other age appropriate museums in the area I think I would prefer to visit instead. 

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE MUSEUMS?

Our favorite to date is the Exploratorium in San Fransisco, California. 

I hope you all are enjoying these mommy friendly posts as much as I am enjoying living them!

Until next time friends!

HOW TO MAKE HIKING FUN FOR KIDS

HIKING WITH JUDE

This morning was the first day of the second week of Christmas break with Jude. He is like most 7 year olds who lose interest in anything that doesn't require batteries or an electrical outlet. In this house we call the devil many things...including "electronics". 

I have been over eating with the rest of the world during the holidays so I wanted to get out and move this body of mine, and since Jude is not old enough to do much alone...he had to come with me!

[COLBY TRAIL : GLENDORA, CA]

In the past few years digestion has been a battle so after-dinner-walks are a must. To keep my little guy entertained and interested I used a small pocket notebook and created a small scavenger list. At the time he was too young to read so drawing pictures of common sites on our walk worked perfect. For example:

[] ROCK

[] TREE

[] CAR

[] TRUCK

[] FLOWER

[] GRASS

[] MAN HOLE

[] FIRE HYDRANT

[] BIRD

[] DOG

[] HUMAN

Jude is old enough to read and write so he loved the printable lists I found thanks to handy dandy Pinterest! Its cold this time of year so I made sure he was dressed appropriately, packed a bottle of water, pencil, and went to a local trail that was safe and kid friendly. 

If you live in the Los Angeles are there are TONS of trails, only a quick google search away! 

What are some ways you are keeping your kids busy this winter break? I have a week planned for my little guy and hope the weather stays nice so I can share them with you!

On our hike we surprisingly found everything BUT a pinecone and acorn! We looked for over and hour and nothing! We saw cool animal holes and even a snake "house" haha. Of course I was not going to stick around to say hello! *Runs away quickly with kid in arms*

Outfit details:

[ZARA] Hat

[FOREVER 21] Sweatshirt 

[ZARA] Vest

[ZARA] Joggers

[VANS] Shoes

Like cell phones, iPads and game consoles have a hold on our children and are creating a new generation of anti social adults. I am trying to encourage other ways to use time that requires us to unplug. One of my New Years Resolutions is to spend at least 1 day a week without an email check, without a social media post, a weekly electronic detox! 

I can't wait to read the way you are getting active this winter in the comments! 

Like in my YouTube videos, Thank you so much for joining me! 

*Latina Kissed*

HOW I SLOW DOWN DURING THE HOLIDAYS | SELF CARE + PAMPERING

WHEN THE GIFT GIVER GIVES TO HERSELF:

The holidays can be a little...well...VERY stressful! Packed malls and a long gift list can get a bit overwhelming so it’s important to take a step back and breathe. When I find a moment to myself, I go straight for spa treatments - at home! Shiseido masks, bubble baths, naps and catching up on my favorite REAL HOUSEWIVES shows are all on my personal agenda which is why I’m excited to partner with Shiseido on this post about how to #ShareBeauty with yourself this holiday season.

I know I am not the only one who enjoys a long PANDORA holiday music session while wrapping gifts. It might sound like a chore but it can be so enjoyable when you are not in a rush. Also I am a busy mom and I never have time to actually keep a nail appointment, so I keep my manicure together by doing my gels myself!

I know I am not the only one who enjoys a long PANDORA holiday music session while wrapping gifts. It might sound like a chore but it can be so enjoyable when you are not in a rush. Also I am a busy mom and I never have time to actually keep a nail appointment, so I keep my manicure together by doing my gels myself!

If you have never tried gel polish, it is worth the extra money. I did my research and checked online for coupons to make sure I was getting the best deal because these lamps are NOT cheap!

Stress can be seen on our faces so the next 3 Shiseido masks are a must-try!  

Watch my latest youtube video to see how I apply each mask to my face! 

Up first is the Shieseido Purifying Mask. This mask goes on like soft, rich mud and dries quickly. After about 10-20 mins (enough time to paint your nails) you can wash your face and you will see how soft and bright your skin looks after only one use!

Next, I used the Shiseido Benefiance Eye Masks. They are small strips that sit under your eyes. The active ingredient is retinol which will help smooth fine lines around your eyes. 

  

Lastly, because I wanted to try all three in one sitting, I applied the Shiseido Firming Massage Mask to my forehead. This mask works to relax the pores as you massage in the product. It also clears skin and promotes less breakouts - YAY!

When the lower half of my face was dry to the touch (that’s where the mud mask was applied), it was time to rinse and pat dry.

My skin was glowing! It wasnt the beautiful lighting shinning off the tree - my face was brighter, softer, and so hydrated! 

Before I get back to my everyday routine...

What do you do for YOURSELF to slow down during the holidays? Let me know in the comments below! Thank you so much for reading and I will see you in the next one!