Mamba

January 26 will now be remembered as the day one of the greatest to play the game of basketball passed away. it will be one of those days that unfortunately we will ask what you were doing when you heard the news? 

We had just finished our pancakes and watching short films from Disney. We then realize it was already time to tune in to the Rockets vs Nuggets game. I then see Kobe's stats go up with a sad song in the background. Why are they playing that sad song? its not like he has passed. RIP KOBE runs across the screen.

                                                    picture obtained from this article
I look at my phone and there it is. I couldn't stop thinking about his precious family. I then see that his daughter was on board as well. This news has hit me hard. i cannot phantom what Vanessa Bryant is going trough not only losing her husband but her daughter too. it been a very sad afternoon.

Im pretty sure everyone knows who Kobe was (wow writing about him in past tense was hard) but as a sports fan it hits a little different. He has done a lot for the game of basketball he has influenced the younger generation of players. not only basketball but all sports. He was the true meaning of grit and dedication that we shall aspire to be. He lived by The Mamba Mentality: "to be able to constantly try to be the best version of yourself"-Kobe

As a Houston Rockets fan you learn real quick that the Lakers is the enemy. So there was definitely times when i have booed Kobe. But once he was out of the court playing against us the story was different. I admired what he did for the game. The exposure he brought to the game of futbol. How he embraced his wife's nationality. How he learned various languages to connect with more people. How he embraced learning in general. I specially admired the dedication he had for his family.

20 seasons he gave to the NBA so has many people that don't watch sports might say he was just an athlete why are they giving him that much attention. He was not only an athlete he was a philanthropist a model to the youth and the community. I would always think to myself I cant wait to see what the WNBA will look in a couple of years. His daughter Gianna was basketball player and with the 
encouragement that Kobe gave her i always thought that he was going to make it as to where it was equal as the mens league. Theres more i could write but my heart is heavy. The world lost a Legend today.

Saving money at the ballpark

Did you know you can take your own food/snacks to the Astros game at Minute Maid Park? Well yes you can.  Going to the games a couple of times a month can add up real quick. Dont get me wrong I love ballpark food but this season i want to be more mindful on what we spend and eat. I will be linking the stadium rules below but to give you a quick round up. Food can be taken inside the stadium if it fits in a 1 gallon clear bag. Water can also be taken in as long as it has not been opened. Up to one liter per person. 
click here for Guidelines

This particular day I brought in some ham and cheese sandwiches because the previous time we had went we got the girls a chicken tender basket and they didn't eat one bite. I knew that was something they would eat, keep in mind that some games we get there early for batting practice so we can be at the stadium for more than a couple of hrs. As a parent it can be frustrating when the kids don't eat. Besides the sandwiches I brought in some chips and their favorite cherry's and blueberry's. For Ever and I some cucumbers with tajin it was the perfect snack. 

We don't always bring healthier options. Some days all we bring is a gallon bag full of candy and cookies. When i was pregnant i used to bring whataburger hey dont judge lol. We have never had a problem.

I mentioned that you can bring sealed water in and a great tip is to take it kinda frozen since it can be pretty hot sometimes perfect way to stay cool.

If you are going to be a designated driver you can get a voucher for a free small soda near section 104. Thanks Budweiser for rewarding designated drivers.

I thoroughly enjoy that Minute Maid allows fans to do this because is so convenient for families and for people with dietary needs. Have you taken in food before? I will be posting  on my IG everytime i take something in.

Review: Hunter X Target

I have seen mixed reviews about the Hunter X Target collection. I personally was divided since in person I didn't like what I had my eyes on. I did like other stuff which of course I had to get.

I was most interested in getting a backpack that could double as a diaper bag. As you might now I attend sports events often and having a practical "diaper bag" is essential. Hunter is a brand designed for outdoor performance and in Houston we can have all 4 seasons in one day. At the stadium I want to have the comfort of setting my bag under the seat and not have to worry about spilling a drink and getting the contents of my bag wet. The backpack is wipe able and waterproof. Sleek but with enough space to bring the necessary items for my toddler. I chose to get the small navy backpack ($35) which is a perfect unisex color that my husband can carry.

For days that I need something smaller I got the medium orange large pouch bag that is perfect for Astros and  Dynamo games. I couldn't pass it up since it was only $9. I also had to get the small black pouch bag perfect for running errands. Phone and wallet fit perfectly and it was only $6. 

Now one of my unexpected purchase was this Grey rain jacket ($40). It is not a matted grey in sunlight you can see some shift to it and if you get up close you can see some sparkle. It is not glitter since it is unisex and at the release various male employees had it on and it didn't look girly. It is very soft but seems durable. The rain jacket comes with a small bag of the same material and color for storing. Will definitely carry this rain jacket in my car for rainy or windy days.

The one item that I'm not sure if I want to keep yet is the toddler rain boots for my little Bella the boots seem a little thicker than the regular Hunter boots. For little ones I think it should be all about comfort. I haven't gotten around to trying them on her but that just show that the interest is not there. The colors on the boots are cute nonetheless. Most of the items are already sold out. The Women's tall boots are the only ones that didn't make a debut and are pending a new release date (that's if they do release them). Did you get any of the Hunter X Target items? What did you think of the quality? 

Last minute Eagles Fan!!!

Super Bowl LII is a few days away!!! Im a Texans fan and unfortunately we are not part of the big show. This year I will be cheering on the Eagles because why not? nothing like cheering for the underdog and hopefully send positive vibes for a win!!! Since I am not a full time Eagles fan kelly green is not in my wardrobe. I want to show my support so i came up with a few last minute ideas to get ready.

I want to be able to jump around and have bouncy touchable hair and thanks to Influenster I received  a free sample of the L'Oreal Elnett extra hold hair spray. (all opinions are my own) I decided to go big with voluminous hair and did some curls that will hold up with all the crazy that is Super Bowl Sunday. This hairspray has a clean smell and is touchable no need to worry about having flat hair. I will definitely will be repurchasing.

Another easy peasy step you can do is paint your nails. I found this really pretty  "Jazzy Jade" color from Sally Hansen that will enhance you spirit fingers!!! This nail polish is only $2.99 at Target. No need to break the bank.

I lastly put on a black shirt and did my makeup with the Philadelphia Eagles team colors. Do you have any last minute tips you can share? Are you exited about the Game or Halftime?

Camping for the first time: Latino Outdoor

Before I continue with my camping trip experience I want to say something, Astros are the 2017 World Series Champions!!!! I haven't had a post for a while since I'm trying to adjust the momlife and the sports lover life. Its complicated to say the least. MLB Post season, Dynamo playoffs, Texans and Rockets had me with no sleep. Now that MLB is over I will have more time and hopefully more sleep.

When in Elementary School I went to camp with the school, now that I look back i realize it was not "real" camping. We stayed in a two story lodge with all the commodities including a full kitchen. Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to have a real camping experience with my family thanks to Latino Outdoors and Texas Outdoor Family. Before the camping trip I had no idea that the Texas Park & Wildlife had these Camping Workshops which makes me even more exited to share with you. 

The Texas Outdoor Family Workshops are hosted all throughout the Texas State parks. Our trip was to Garner State Park. The workshops provide all the equipment and fun activities. It was perfect for us since being first time campers we had no idea what to bring along. The rangers and Josie (fitfunand) where really informative since the start. The workshop was also hosted by Latino outdoors whose mission is to connect Latinos with the outdoors and empower them to explore and share their stories. Regardless anyone that is interested can participate not matter ethnicity,language or race. I took lots of pictures and trust me it was really hard to choose my favorite ones because they show how much fun and family bonding we had.

At our arrival we learned how to set up a tent.

Tent set up was a breeze thanks to the tips from our Rangers.

We learned how to build and put out a fire safely.

Zoe with her smore after successfully building a fire

We went on a morning guided hike.

Going up

We learned about native plants on our way up.

After the hike we adventured by ourselfs and ended up at the Frio river. As the name imposes the river was frio and only Ever and Zoe where brave enough to jump in.

We learned how to kayak and had a relaxing time on the river. The water was crystal clear it was beautiful.

We also had a night walk where we searched for night animals. We got to see two scorpions that glowed in the dark when flashed with a black light, a frog and some crickets.  Zoe and the kids from the other families made a  dump cake in dutch oven and learned about different night animals and their sounds.

Josie from fitfunand.com  helping the kids with the cake

During our time there we didn't have cell phone connection which allowed us to fully take in the experience. We learned a lot from our rangers, we are definitely more confident and want to explore more state parks in Texas. Find the next workshop here:camping workshops Learn more about Latino Outdoors here:click here

TopGolf- Katy experience

I love to go to new places but it can be a little overwhelming when you do not  know what to expect. Hispanicize Tx was last weekend and has part of the festivities some of the bloggers/Influencers were hosted at Topgolf.
 I was pretty excited because I had always been curious of the grand netting surrounding the facility and the bright lights when I passed by at night. 

Upon arriving you are greeted and directed by their "bay host". The Hispanicize group consisted of Men, Women and kids of all ages. Some where experienced golfers and some like me had no experience. Dont worry if you dont have experience and would like tips or need a class they do offer them starting at $29. Miguel (Katy location) came over to our bay and did just that, he showed me how to hold the stick; Is that what you call it? He also showed me the correct stance. I did get to hit the ball previous the tips from Miguel and it was such a difference.

My team consisted of Independent Mami- Alba and her family. We had a little competition with the rest of the influencers that where in groups in different bays. Im not going to lie we where having so much fun we forgot it was a competition. My team scored 270pts if I recall correctly thanks to Lupe, I only scored 20pts. I was definitely surprised we won 2nd place!!

Our bay host brought out appetizers and drinks which made the experience more fun because you don't have to stop playing to order. I had a refreshing margarita and soft drinks thought out the game service was fast. The food was great very flavorful and cooked just right. Their menu is extensive I'm pretty sure you will find what you are craving.

Here are some observations I made:

• You can book your bay online (recommended)Topgolf Houston-Katy
• Balls have personalized microchips that track your scores.
• You do not need your own clubs. Topgolf has Men, Women and kid clubs but you are more than welcomed to bring your own.
• Bays are climate controlled.
• Seating for up to six people in each bay. If you go in bigger groups I suggest to book bays next to each other. Seating is very comfortable.
• Great Hospitality
• Regardless of your experience with golf you will have a good time!!

I cant wait to go back. I would really like to go during the night to have a feel of the night atmosphere and maybe walk around a bit more because I was having so much fun i forgot to check out the top level. Have you been to Topgolf? If you have any questions about my experice feel free to ask!! Thank you Topgolf and Hispanicize for the invitation.

Smooth Summer with Camellia Alise:Review

I recently attended the #Rizosontheroad event in Houston,Tx which is an event that empowers women with natural hair. Check for their next stop here:rizosontheroad In that  fun event they had a drawing and luckily enough I won one of the prizes. I won the Camellia Alise "Bold Start" system. I was pretty excited to see that it was a all natural brand since at the time i was fighting off an allergic reaction to a deodorant. My skin was broken and irritated and didn't want to put anything with chemicals on. I off course want to be comfortable in this Texas heat so it is important to have clean underarms for the cute tank tops and cheering for the Dynamo and Astros.

Im going to be honest the first time I used the products i wasn't too fond of the fragrance not because they smell bad. I think my brain was expecting artificial berry smell. The fragrance is very subtle and fresh and once i used it a second time I loved it. The "Sleek Glide" Luxury shaving cream was also a surprise because it is not foamy like most shaving creams rather rich and creamy. The consistency allows for a sleek glide just as its name suggests. It also provided me with the much needed moisture that in my opinion helped with the scaly situation that was going on. The "Bold Start" scrub has just enough exfoliation to remove dead skin and at the same time gentle leaving no irritation. 

Slick finish oil, Sleek Glide Luxury shavig cream, Bold start scrub

I try to use as many "clean" products in my daily lifestyle and for shaving my legs I wasn't doing my best. When I first started shaving my legs as a teen I cut myself so deeply that you could see my bone (eek) i refused to put another razor near my legs again, I started using a cream that obviously is full of hair burning chemicals. Since my underarms were doing so good I overcame my fear and tried the Camellia Alise products on my legs, they are looking more radiant and softer than ever. Texas heat here I come.

Another plus to the amazing Camellia Alise products is that they are a local business founded by Girl power. The products are Unisex. They are Paraben and Sulfate Free.

Here is a Shaving Guide from Camellia Alise:

1. Soak your selected area
2. Exfoliate Gently
3. Apply the shave cream
4. Use a fresh razor blade
5. Shave slowly
6. Lightly dry your freshly shaven skin
7. Apply post shave oil

I definitely recommend Camellia Alise my skin is doing much better than before. I have peace of mind that fewer chemicals are on my body. I cannot wait to get their new Beard Oil for my husband!!!

Need the products now?you can buy them Here camelliaalise.com or click to find locally,

Follow on IG for amazing shaving tips @camelliaalise.
Blog:https://camelliaalise.com/blogs/healthy-living (great tips)

* I won the products. Opinions to any reviews will always be true and honest.