Catching up & life..

Life, its been a hectic one this past month. There was a very tramautizing event that happened to Miguel during the month of November. I've only told a few of my closest friends and I chose to keep it out of my media outlets for his sake and ours. The healing process has been a very rough and hard one but we've received so much love from so many people its amazing. I'm happy to see him smile more and even though he does have his days, things are starting to look up again. Just when I thought I was going to break, husband had an accident at work. He cut his finger and sliced it open, he ended up with 6 stitches and one week off from work. The one week off from work was good for our family & for him, even though we rely on his work income. We had family by our side to help, & savings. Before I knew it, it was already the beginning of December and we are now getting ready for Christmas, New Years Eve & Valentina's big 1 year birthday. We started this year full of so much excitement & blessings but now it seems like we get to end it with nothing but bad memories. I promise you that I'm trying my best for it not to be that way. I will make these last 2 weeks of 2014 the best ones possible! I'm also planning to get back to more life updates. I'm sorry for those of you who have come and it seems like all you see are reviews & what not but this momma has been giving her little family some much needed attention! I'm also hoping to get some vlogs done, so I hope you stick around and join us. Hope you all have been good. Love, Kary xoxo P.S. this blog was done on my phone so the text might be all over the place.

Fast Breakfast On The Go #Atkins

For those mornings when I don't have time to make myself breakfast I love the fact that I can quickly microwave something healthy and eat it guilt free. Atkins breakfast sandwiches are the perfect example, with a good source of protein and healthy carbs.

Battat perfect for all ages!

Disclosure: I was sent these toys for review and no other compensation was received. All words and opinions expressed are 100% my own.

I was so excited to work with Battat toys, who I got the opportunity to meet when I went to the HotToys14' event last month. Some of their products are the famous Li'l Woodzeez and Pucci Pups.

The toys we were sent to review was Daisy from the Our Generation line with the Thoroughbred Horse. B.Puzzled and a Beautifloor. 

These are just a few of their brands, and the age range is from Newborn to 10+

GirlzNDollz - Holiday Gift Guide 2014

Disclosure: I was sent a GirlzNDollz for reviewing purposes. All words and opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Be Confident - Be Happy - Be YOU!

You have to love that message, I know I do. With the world we live in, it's so important nowadays to remember that you have to love yourself for who you are, you have to love yourself so that you can radiate that. If you don't love yourself, you don;t give space for others to love you because you are too busy putting yourself down to focus on all the wonderful things that other people see in you.

My baby girl is only 9 months and i'm making sure to show her this and to teach her this lesson every single day, my 11 years old boy knows that. He grew up with me telling him that everyday and thanks to that everyone always tells me that he is such a beautiful old soul, the way he carries himself. 

My husband and I have always told him that in order for him to be beautiful outside he has to be beautiful on the incised, he has to be kind, love himself the way he is because he is perfect. We are all perfect and beautiful in our own way, what we might think is a flaw is actually what makes us beautiful. That's why when I went to Blogger Bash 2014 this Summer and got to meet the GirlzNDollz team I fell in love with them. I ran to my computer to go to the GirlzNDollz website and learn more about the company.

Jessie the founder of GirlzNDollz is a sweetheart and you have to love her mantra behind the dolls 

"I AM ME"

The goal to help all girls accept each other for who they are. They get to pick their own little fashionista doll and accessorize her while at the same time learning to accept her the way she is, accepting the way she herself is. It's a beautiful message that they get to learn while playing with their dolls! What's not to love?!

I was so excited to receive a GirlzNDollz doll to review, we picked Leila from the Totz line and she is so cute with her little dress and bows in her hair. The packaging is the cutest, the dolls each come in their own little cardboard house.

BE CONFIDENT

BE HAPPY 

BE YOU

So this holiday season make sure to get your little girl or boy, yes boy! 

GirlzNDollz just came out with boy dolls. Let them play and learn a very important message that is so important in this society that we live in.

They are soft, perfect for carrying around and for hitting mommy and daddy :D

They come in two different sizes, they have accessories available and you can pick out one that you think fits your little ones personality.

Plus, they are very budget friendly, they won't cost you an arm or a leg.

Make sure to order yours in time for Christmas or if you celebrate Three Kings Day (Beginning of January). I'm getting one for my niece, she loves playing with Valentinas when she comes to the house. 

Now I have a big surprise for all of my C'est La Vie readers! 

Jessie, the founder behind GirlzNDollz has come up with a special giveaway for you my loves.

One of you will get to pick your own GirlzNDollz of your choice.  

 Here's how to enter: Go to the GirlzNDollz website, take a look around, come back and comment below with which doll you would pick if you won :D That's it! Yay - You will have one week and a half to enter :D

Good Luck!

Love,

Kary xoxo

Atkins On The Go

For this mom on the go snacks are always a must! My backpack/diaper bag is always full of snacks for my munchkins and I. When Atkins sent me a sample of the snacks that they have available I was very excited to try them. Chocolate covered almonds are my favorite and bars can always be found in my backpack. They are a must in our household.

Happy Birthday 29th Birthday Little Sister

29 years ago I was blessed with the best, beautiful sister ever! Jessy, You are my best friend, my partner in crime (in the good ole days), my bodyguard who has always had my back. You have been my rock through the hardest moments. I love you and your little mini me so much! You girls make this world a better place and we love you so much! Thank you for being the best sister, aunt and friend. Wishing you my beautiful sister Jessy, many more years! Looking forward to welcoming you to your dirty thirty next year Love you always, 

Your Big Sister Kary

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Thanksgiving Day 2014

With my munchkin on our way to the Thanksgiving Day parade

Paddington Bear takes the NYC sky for the first time

Go, go Power Rangers!!

Pikachu

Papa Smurf

Baby girls 1st Thanksgiving Day

 We were blessed with another beautiful Thanksgiving day full of family, laughter, love and our annual viewing of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. We got up early, I'm lucky husband was off this year as he had an accident at work, he was off nonetheless. Off we went to get a good place for viewing, it was cold and it started snowing about half way during the parade but it was the best morning. Jellybean loved seeing the big balloons and Munchkin loved taking pictures with his phone. The pictures above are courtesy of him and his phone :D We ran home to get ready for family time with our loved ones.

We got to enjoy some turkey, mash potatoes, stuffing, and other delicious food. Jellybean was able to enjoy some herself. She loved the turkey, she's not a fan of mashed food so mash potatoes was not a big hit with her but she did love the Turkey.

Now counting down the days till Christmas! Looking froward to so many fun family activities coming our way.

Hope your Thanksgiving Day was a great one.

Love,

Kary xoxo

Train More - Pound Less #ZeroRunner Review

Zero Runner - The must have machine for all runners, no matter the level!

Atkins to the rescue

Being a mom of two, one an 11 year old and my 9 month old baby girl. Means I sometimes don't have that much time to cook all of my foods.

Munchkin Milestone

This happened today, munchkins new cellphone arrived.

 This is a huge milestone, it's a small step towards independence and I'm full of mixed emotions.

My baby boy is a big boy and I wish I could keep him in my pocket always.

But I can't, so together we will celebrate life milestones.

My munchkin now has a cellphone and I can send him text until I annoy him enough that he starts ignoring me, then i can download the Don't ignore your mom app!

Look it up it's a good one.

What milestone are you currently celebrating?

Love,

Kary xoxo

My 1st Week on Atkins 40

This is just a peak into what my 1st week on Atkins 40 looked like, I mean 1st because it really is a great way to help you eat and maintain a healthy diet, so this girl plans on keeping up with the Atkins 40 diet.

#HotToys14 Sneak Peak at the hottest toys of 2014

Dressed to play and have fun at the Hot Toys 14' event! 

Incredible view, yummy food, great host & sponsors.

2 weeks ago I had the opportunity to join the Big Toy Book at the Hearst Building on the 44th floor to have some fun at The Holiday Of Play!

I made sure to wear some cool leggings that were stretchy enough for me to walk around and play with toys, yes play. Who says that toys are only for kids, I 'll be the first to admit that half of the toys I buy my kids are because I think are cool and fun. 

The event started at around 10am and I was so grateful, with baby girl being a night owl that extra hour of sleep goes a long way.

We were able to settle in, grab some breakfast and listen to @TheToyInsiderMom talk about the hottest toys of this holiday season.

Some were familiar brands like Crayola & Fisher Price, some others were new to me like the company behind the Selfie Booth & the Spaghetti Headz.

Table full of the 20 hottest toys of 2014

I love the options this holiday season, fun yet educational! Fisher Price has so many fun new toys for your little one and some for your older toddler. I'm loving their new Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Chair (pictured in the second picture) it's actually on Jellybeans Christmas wish list.

Frozen is a must this year and the variety of toys is lovely. Light up dress up dresses, snow cone maker Olaf, Singing Elza oh the options!

Oldies come back stronger and cuter than ever.

The Ninja turtles are back and better than ever. I loved them in the 90's and love them even more 

now, I especially love the fact that I can share the fun with my son.

You guys know how much I love my vintage, I was especially giddy to see the Pound Puppies making a comeback. Theres always that childhood toy that you wish you had when you were little but you never had for certain reasons, now I can adopt my own puppy.

Our Generation Dolls, accessories & teepee - Selfie Booth

As a parent I know I'm always on the hunt for great affordable toys, not only during the holiday season but all year round. That's where Our Generation dolls come in. How cute are they? And the price - amazing! You can buy accessories and clothes for them, its no wonder they are one of the hottest toys this holiday season. They are sold at Target ( more details and review coming soon)

Now the Selfie Booth is the funnest thing around (I like making up my own words)

No more spending money on renting one for your parties, two versions are available one retails for $59 and the other one for $29. All you need to make sure it works is an iPad or android so you can download the app and that's it.

Crayola - Toca Boca

DIY toys are always fun for rainy indoor days. I love coloring with my son and Crayola does it again with their Make Your Own Paint. My son loved making his own paint and you have to love the fact that it's not messy. You can check out a small video and pictures on my Instagram feed @RunChiquitaRun

Toca Boca (available on iPod & android) the cutest child friendly app, has now come out with the cutest tattoos of their characters :D I downloaded the moment I got home and my 9 month old loves the app already.

Perfect stocking stuffer ideas

My Magical Mermaid & Spaghetti Headz

We can't forget stocking stuffers. The my magical mermaid will definitely make your little one smile, I mean who doesn't love the fact that you can now have your very own little mermaid.

Spaghetti Headz for cool hair, easy to put on and easy to take off.

Last but not least, one of the best highlights of the Holiday Of Play was the moment they announced the date and place of 

Blogger Bash 2015!

It's going to be this July 16 & 17 2015

at

Pier Sixty

Remember that this is an invite only event so make sure to fill out your application 

here.

Holiday of Play was an amazing event hosted by The Big Toy Book, along with The Toy Insider and Womans Day Magazine. I was so blessed to be able to attend and have fun with all of the amazing sponsors pictured above!

Thanks to them I am ready to tackle this holiday season 2014 :D

Now make sure to keep an eye out this blog for holiday reviews, giveaways and more fun events.

What's your must have toy this holiday season?

Love,

Kary xoxo

My Weekend in a nutshell

Sleeping baby, our little jellybean fell asleep while on our way to munchkins soccer game. 

A much needed movie date my parents and jellybeans

The loves of my life

Our weekend consisted of some Saturday Soccer with my boys and Jellybean, it was a cold one. Standing by the river was not so much fun, but seeing my munchkin do a goal was worth freezing!

Sunday was family movie time, it's been more than 5 months since we've been to the theater and ahhh, how I've missed it. So, this Sunday we checked the move schedule and booked our tickets to go see The Book Of Life. I haven't laughed, danced and smiled like the way I did on Sunday in the last few days. This was the perfect family movie, even Jellybean danced in her seat.

Sometimes all you need is a nice escape with a good ole movie, along with those you love the most.

Hope your weekend was a good one!

What's one of your favorite family activities?

Love,

Kary xoxo 

Motivational Mondays

Found this picture through Google

Yes, these past fe days have been hard ones and I truly believe the quote above!

No matter how hard things may seem they always get better, there is a rainbow on the other side.

Sending you all love now and always.

Love,

Kary xoxo

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#StreakingWithTheCoolKids

Nov 1 - Nov 30, 2014

Nov 6, 2014

I started a few days late but better late than never. Won't you join me during this month of November by doing 1 mile everyday! It doesn't matter if you run, jog, walk or crawl. All that matters is that you just get your mile done :)

I started Wednesday Nov 6, by walking back and fourth from my sons school, as long as it's a mile you got this.

Make sure to use the hashtag #StreakingWithTheCoolKids when you post your picture on Instagram.

But most importantly remember to have fun & enjoy.

Love,

Kary xoxo 

It Can't Rain Forever

I haven't posted any real details on Instagram or my Facebook, but right now we are going through a really rough moment. Somebody has wiped that beautiful smile off my munchkins face. 

Baby boy, what would I give to see you smile that big smile of yours. You are my sunshine and it hurts so much to see you this way. My heart is breaking! We will get through this, I know we will. It will take time, but with God by our side everything will be ok. Please give me strength so that I can be strong for my baby.

I pray that God gives me the strength that I need to be strong for my son, he can't see me cry. I have to be his rock, the happy face that he turns to, the person that he can trust and the person that will always be there for him!

"Keep The Faith. Hold on. Things will get better. It might be stormy now, but it can't rain forever."

Kary xo

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Skylanders take over Manhattan!

I spy a new balloon in this picture of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!

Can you guess which one it is?

If you guessed Eruptor from the Skylanders trap team, you guessed it right.

It was announced a few days ago that Eruptor would take flight for the first time during this the

 88th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Teaser sketch pic of Eruptor flying through the city that never sleeps.

This promises to be one cool balloon, I'm sure many little boys will be excited to see him up there in the sky. I'm even more giddy to go to the balloon inflation. We go every year, and I know my munchkin will be so excited to see this one.

Can't wait to post pictures of Eruptor in less than 22 days!

If you live in NYC, make sure to plan a family afternoon on the evening of November 26

and come to the UWS to see the balloon inflation. It's always a memorable one.

You can check out some of our past pictures here and here.

It's a yearly tradition :)

Love,

Kary xoxo

House Party Host - Keurig 2.0

Happy Mail Day

Coffee Lover heaven

Last month I applied to be a Keurig 2.0 house party host. That meant that if I got picked i would have to invite 10 or more people with whom to share the coffee love.

I would be sent the new Keurig 2.0 and other goodies to host the best party ever.

Two weeks ago I received the email saying that I was selected to be host, say what?!?
Omg, I literally screamed my lungs out, I have had a Keurig on my wish list for the longest time. Plus, that meant that I would be able to leave behind the pot and water boiling ;)

Yesterday was the best morning full of happy mail, my new Keurig 2.0 arrived.
I took there picture above and broke into that box so fast that I ended with a few paper cuts. Once I read the instructions I whipped out a mug and had some coffee brewing in less than 1 minute.
My apartment hasn't stopped smelling like coffee and i wouldn't have it any other way.
Now to party plan for my Keurig party next weekend.

Love,
Kary xoxo

Halloween 2014

Jellybean wondering what was inside her treat bag

Munchkin was Ghost from Call Of Duty

Baby Wearing While Trick Or Treating was a life saver.

Jellybean was a little purple leopard but it was a cold day and ended up wearing her bunny hoodie.

So she was a leopard/ bunny ;)

It was Jellybeans 1st Halloween and it was a great one. We went trick or treating with my sister and niece. I had the stroller and baby ergo because i knew that baby girl would not want to be in the stroller all night. It was the best idea ever, I ended up carrying her in the Ergo after an hour of trick or treating. It was also the easiest way for her to get some treats :)

Munchkin had his costume planned out for about 2 months and it was great to see his idea come true. We only bought the mask, the rest was thrifting or stuff he had, he especially loved when fellow video gamers complimented him on his awesome costume.

Looking forward to next years Halloween and already planning baby girls costume, next year she will be walking! 

Which will be even better.

How was your Halloween?

Love,

Kary xoxo

Mizuno Wave Rider 18 Review

Disclosure: I received a pair of the new Mizuno Wave Rider 18 shoes through a campaign with FitFluential LLC on behalf of Mizuno. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

This mommy runner was so excited when I got the chance to work with Mizuno once again. If you follow me through Instagram you will see that one of my favorite brands hands down is Mizunos. I was introduced to them about 3 years now and they have been my running buddies ever since. 

This is a neutral shoe and it's not the first time that I get to try a pair like these out. I was able to test out the Mizuno Wave Rider 17 back in December during my pregnancy with Jellybean and I loved them. My excitement was definitely present while i waited for this new pair of Mizunos!

Even though it's a neutral shoe it's great for lots of mileage because of the great support and cushioning that they provide, and for that reason they are one of Mizunos top selling shoes. I always like to break in new running shoes by taking them for a walk a few times before taking them out for a run. The moment I put these on they already felt like old running buddies. The shoes themselves are so light. It amazes me how powerful such a light shoe can be. My toes had good room to wiggle around and the back part of the shoe is not high that it will hurt your heel.

Everyone that knows me, knows how much I love pink and that I always tend to buy some sneakers with a hint of pink. The Mizunos are available in three ombre style colors, including pink but I was sent the black/silver ones. This was my first pair of black sneakers and omg, it was love at first sight.

Never have I loved black so much, the combination of black, silver and mint is amazing.

These are hands down the best looking running shoes I've had, gulp - did I just say that out loud!

Sorry, to all of my old pink shoes.

Running felt good, my shoes felt light and running was great. My feet felt cushioned and with each step that I gave I could feel supported. I'm not bias, really I promise you. But if you don't already own  a pair of Mizunos what are you waiting for?!? Run to your nearest Running store or any retail store where Mizunos are available and get yourself a pair! You will not regret it.

Don't these beauties make you sigh!

Some important things to know about the new Mizuno Wave Rider 18:

- The premium sock liner has been upgraded and they now provide more rebound and resiliency at every foot strike.

- The outsoles new designs has added durability and shock attenuation.

The refined toe-spring delivers a smooth, effortless toe-off

Have I convinced you yet :)

I'm excited to put more miles on these babies, they are definitely a great pair of neutral shoes with amazing support. These will definitely go into my running rotation and I'm sure to run many races with these.

What's your favorite brand of running shoes?

Love,

Kary xoxo

Bye, Bye Baby Bump - Atkins 40

Almost 9 months later and I'm still struggling to lose this baby bump. Its not lack of motivation, its just finding time for me again. After baby girl was born I've had sleepless nights, she's a nightowl. That means that I haven't been able to run as much or focus on what I'm eating. A new year is creeping up and I need to get back on track, this momma needs to get ready to run the TCSNYCM. So I'm excited to announce that I will be doing the Atkins diet, hmmm it's not really a diet but a lifestyle. Thanks to a campiagn with FitFluential i will get to try the Atkins way of life and some Atkins products.

How does Atkins 40 work?

By following a meal plan that includes proper protein intake, adequate fat intake and low carb consumption. You help your body burn fat for fuel. That means that I will be eating lots of vegetables, some fruits and about 4 to 6 oz a day.

Sounds easy enough. Yes, it will be hard to cut out certain carbs but I know that it will help me burn this baby bump that has no baby go away. I'm excited to share my experience with you guys and help decipher some of the Atkins myths.

I've already learned that it's not all about red meats, when I asked a few people about Atkins that's the first thing they mentioned. Oh, are you ready to eat all that red meat? I'm decipher this first Atkins myth and let you know that no. I will not be eating crazy amounts of red meat! It's also safe for breastfeeding moms like myself, as long as I'm losing 2lbs a week. Don't want to affect my milk supply by losing crazy amounts of weight. If you are not breastfeeding you could expect to see a lose of 2 - 8lbs the first week, some will be water weight.

I promise to give more details on that as I go along!

In the meantime I'm happy to share with you guys that another great thing about Atkins is that it is 100% free! Yep, free!!

You can access meal plans and more information at

www.atkins.com

You can also check them out on

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AtkinsDiet

​Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/atkinsinsider

​Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/atkinsinsider/

Have you tried the Atkins 40 diet before?

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Atkins.

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This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Atkins.

Holiday Gift Ideas for Boys & Girls 2014 - Rumble Fists and MashEms

Disclosure: These items were sent to me for review. All words expressed are my own.

Rumble Fists, Mash Ems, Spar Bag

We are only 57 days away from Christmas - Ahhhh!!

The holidays always make me nervous because there are so many things out there on the market and you never know what to pick for your little one, especially when they love so many things.

Example: My son loves Ninja Turtles, WWE, video games and the list goes on.

Thats where Tech4Kids comes in with their line of toys, which includes a great variety for girls and boys.

My son loved the Rumble Fist

Miguel loved the Rumble Fist and I don't blame him. They are a pair of oversized WWE fists that come with motion activated sound effects.  They are made of a very soft plastic like material (the don't smell like plastic or rubber) so you won't be scared of getting a hit or two from those fists.

He had a blast practicing his Taekwondo moves with them because of the realistic sounds they make.
Now whenever we watch WWE he takes out his rumble fists and plays with them, plenty of play hours. These have definitely become one of his favorite toys. Plus his little sister can also have fun with them, she's only 8 months but laughs so hard when she sees her big brother punch in the air and the sounds come on.

Ninja Turtle Mashems

For all of us original TMNT lovers these Mashems are a must. No matter your age, they are 4+ - infinity. These are still in package because they are perfect stocking stuffers and I hid them from my son. I know he will love them. You can always get a pack of the TMNT Mashems and DVD to make a dream stocking, for that special turtle lover.

These are the WWE Mashems, those I did give to my son right away and he opened them on the spot.
He loves miniature toys, these are not tiny. They fit in your palm and that's why they are for ages 4 and up. They are a little squishy and fun playing toys. My son loves throwing them against each other or hitting them with the Rumble Fists.

I love any toy that is great for girls and boys. Fashems is the girl version of Mashems.
They have My Little Pony and Hello Kitty ones. Perfect if you have a girl and boy, especially if they always fight for wanting each others toys. Now they scan each have their own to play with.
I gave these to my niece who loved them. Oh, and they come with accessories! Say what?
Yes, little comb and a little hat - epp!!
Tiny, cute and full of surprises.

So, make sure to check out all the fun toys that are available under Tech4Kids. There is a great variation for boys and girls. They will complete any gift whether it be a stocking stuff, Christmas present or any other day present. They will definitely become a staple in your household!

Have you heard of Mashems or Fashems before?

Love,
Kary xoxo

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