THE COSTUME MAKER IN ME

I have always had a love and interest for sewing. Some way or another I have un officially become my niece's personal costume maker. From her first Halloween to this year's, yours truly has created and sewn all her costumes, all three of them! (hahaha)  From Tinkerbell, to Snow White, to the this year's  Minnie Mouse! 

I love the bow, it's perfect.

Made with LOVE by her Tia Vero

This is Daisy, trying on her costume, isn't she cute?

Home Improvement Projects

Last weekend, my husband and I finally painted our family room!!! I've been wanting and waiting to do this for years (literally), and since most (ALL) home improvement projects in my home only happen if I initiate them, I decided to buy myself (meaning separate from my husbands heavy duty ones) a few tools that will help me initiate a few more I have on my list.  With freshly painted walls, the interior decorator in me came out, and new window treatments, among other stuff, were a must!! The tools have definitely come in handy.  I can't wait to get started on my, I mean OUR next project.  I can't believe I'm so excited over it, but I just can't help it.  The full force interior decorator in me has not been out in a while, so watch out! I want to re-do every room in my house now. I just hope I don't run out of steam.  Here are the tools I gifted myself:


Black & Decker 4.8V Pivot Point Screwdriver

$29.99 - Target



Black & Decker Laser Level with Wall Mounting Access

$15.99 - Target

Visiting Abuelito y Abuelita

This past August, Benny and I took a much needed, heartwarming trip to my mother's hometown of Talpa. Talpa is your typical Mexican little town or "pueblo", whose main attraction is Our Lady of the Rosary of Talpa, a "Sister Virgin" who is adored by many devoted catholic people from all over, including me!! Talpa has several "Fiestas" throughout the year, this is when thousands take pilgrim trips to visit the virgin.

We visited Talpa during it's "off" season, which I personally prefer. Being in Talpa was refreshing, physically, mentally, and spiritually. We stayed at my grandparent's home and spend lots of quality time with them. The lifestyle in Talpa is very different than here in L.A. It's much more laid back and people seem very friendly. Computers and cell phones are seldom used for communicating and socializing. It's a place of cobblestone streets and where everyone knows everyone, outsiders are easily spotted. Church bells tell you the time of day and call the next mass. 

This was Benny's first visit, and I was happy that we both were able to connect with our family culture and traditions.  I look forward to visiting again soon.

My sister's Roaring 20s Birthday Party

When the idea first came up, I asked myself, how the heck am I going to pull this off? Well, lucky for me, Adriana came to the rescue. Without her help, my sister's 30th party would not have been as AMAZING as it turned out. Thanks so much Adri!! Here are some awesome pictures taken by Adriana.

Adventures in Real Estate - Irvine Condo $339,900

Check it out, I have a listing:
2 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms, 1016 Sq Ft. Beautiful Condo in the city of IRVINE, one of the safest cities in California. If you know of anyone who is looking for a great starter property, this is the one.

Click here for more Details: Irvine Condo

THEY WILL ALWAYS BE MY BABIES

Sometimes I feel like I'm letting time just pass right by me. My life can be real fast paced, so I have to constantly remind myself to stop and enjoy the present, and enjoy my children at whatever age they happen to be. I have to admit, I loved it when my boys were babies, being a mom was a little more simple then. Today, I look at my boys, and I just can't believe how much they have grown. I know it's such a cliche, but it really does feels like it was just yesterday when I was bringing them home from the hospital. No matter how old and grown up they get, they will ALWAYS be my BABIES.

Mikey

Joey

Benny

Real Estate Adventures- Chicks Rule!!

Ever since I became a Real Estate agent, my mailbox gets bombarded with all kinds of newsletters and magazines.  In the March 2010 issue of Realtor Magazine, I came across this interestesing and fun article regarding demographics.  We all know that throughout the years women have become more and more independent. Case and point: according the National Association of Realtors, single women make up 20% of buyers, up from 14% in 1995. Wow, that's a big chunk. The article also points out that women are very influential when it comes to buying a new home. Women directly purchase or have stronger say over men in the purchase of 91% of new homes. 91%!!!!
Since women are so influential when buying a home the company Design Basics gathered data and performed reseach regarding what women want and came up with 4 types of women buyers:
1. "MAGGIE" Looks for comfort and function. Maggie is adventurous and spontaneous and preffers less upkeep. She pulls toward the "green" design.

2."ELISE" Very family oriented. She wants a home that's easy to clean, low maintenance, and durable. Elise wants storage and a large laundry room.  Elise is more likely to go with a traditional design, such as a country kitchen.

3. "CLAIRE" Status driven. Claire likes brand names and quality products like crown molding and a gourmet kitchen. She also wants space for formal entertaining . Claire appreciates symmetry in design.

4. "MARGO" Work oriented. Margo likes modern design and clean lines. She likes geometric shapes and unusual features like a J shaped kitchen island instead of a traditional rectangular.  Margo prefers edgy, European trends. 

While not all women are easy to classify, and some women may have a combination of these personas, the idea is for this to serve as a sales tool or guide to help with marketing and customer service.