Food Feature Friday #23: A Hotel's Hidden Eatery for Everyone!

As Summer vacation creeps closer and closer, you may have already started looking into possible road trip/vacation spots to relax at. If you haven't, I recommend starting to plan now so you can not only get good rates at any/all hotels, but also to create the optimal experience for you and the family...or just yourself, not judgement!

While not everyone dreams of heading to San Diego for a vacation, plenty of people do for it's prime weather and good eats. This post is to either further convince you to come check out San Diego, to look into new eats if you already live here, or to add a place to check out for your planned vaca. Regardless this is going to be one tasty post!

Breakfast is highly known as the most important meal of the day. I don't exactly agree, but that's only because I think every meal is important. You want to thoroughly enjoy each and every bite of whatever eats you're devouring for the day, but seeing as how I've reviewed plenty of lunch and dinner spots (yes I've reviewed breakfast joints as well), I thought today I'd focus more on the breakfast/brunch spot that I rather enjoy on a weekday morning (when it's not too crowded). 

This past week I was able to take a quick trip to one of my favorite breakfast spots, "The Waffle Spot". 

Now, this isn't your usual eating spot. This particular "restaurant" is technically located inside a hotel! Don't worry though, it's set apart from the actual hotel in a unique way and is open to the public during it's operating hours (7am to 2pm). 

The hotel it's located inside of is called "The Kings Inn", which is also home to it's lunch/dinner restaurant "The Amigo Spot". I can't personally attest to neither "The Kings Inn" nor "The Amigo Spot", but I can tell you that "The Waffle Spot" is the perfect place for your morning [and mid morning] meal. 

"The Waffle Spot" is home to some of the best waffles I've ever had and gives off the essence of an "old school diner". Perhaps their decor seems "outdated" to most, but I'm actually glad that it hasn't fed into a more modern styled diner. Their food is the key to success - in my opinion - but the ambiance helps as well. 

There was absolutely no wait, so with immediate seating came immediate coffee (yay). After browsing the menu a little, I officially decided on what I wanted to eat. 

With so much to choose from - pancakes, waffles, eggs, and other breakfast eats - I decided to order a plate of chilaquiles, a side of mini banana/walnut waffles, and of course some bacon. All washed down with some more coffee and orange juice. 

The coffee itself was rich and not too bold, easily strengthened with espresso or "weakened" with dairy free creamer. I'm more of a "cream and sugar" momma and after mixing in all the good stuff, I was treated with a smooth cup of "joe" to start off my meal. 

Within a few minutes of peaking around the restaurant, to see all the "King Waffl"e remake drawings posted all around, the food was placed in front of me with such awe and desire coming from my stomach. 

The bacon was juicy, crisy, and perfectly cooked. The waffles were flaky, soft, fluffy and had this mild taste of vanilla mixed in with the banana and walnuts. The chilaquiles were perfectly portioned with a side of rice and beans, except for a few too many tortilla strips mixed with the eggs. That however, is a common problem I've found at most eateries, so it wasn't too upsetting to me. The eggs were also fluffy and well seasoned, giving the entire meal a decadent description of pure perfection. 

Price wise it's a bit more expensive than say Denny's or IHop, but less expensive than "Breakfast Republic", which I reviewed HERE. 

Overall the customer service was up to par with fine dining (without the sometimes snooty attitudes), the food gave me flashbacks to home cooked meals with my abuelita (grandma), and the decor made me feel like I was on the outskirts of town. Which is nice when you want a mini "get away" from all the hustle and bustle. 

To me this restaurant has all the makings of an excellent dining experience and with such a high volume wait time during peak hours (vacations, weekends, etc.), I think it's safe to say that others feel the same. 

BONUS: On the weekends you can see "King Waffle" himself (the character) walking around and silently waving/greeting all the patrons waiting to dive into a plate of deliciousness. 

Out of 5 stars, I'd give it a 5. It's "home like", respectable, friendly, and all around the epitome of what a good breakfast should be. I've been to "The Waffle Spot" many times and I can promise that I'll be back again and again!

PSA: An Important Security Camera Warning!!!

In yesterday's post I talked about the new security camera I purchased for our home to try and see if we had any paranormal friends lurking in the night throughout our hall. Well one thing I failed to mention - only because the story was shown just today - is that apparently it's a camera definitely NOT worth buying! 

Earlier tonight I was watching Inside Edition (a television program) and was shocked to hear a segment they had about a flawed security camera. To my further astonishment, it was the EXACT camera I not only purchased, but [sort of] recommended to you guys yesterday! 

I had an entirely different topic for today's post, but I felt that simply editing yesterday's blog post wouldn't be enough. 

In the segment that aired on TV tonight, they discussed a major flaw in the camera's system. A flaw that can allow tech savvy crooks remotely disable your camera, giving them time to not only enter your home and make off with your goods, but also do it without any notification from your [supposed to be] security camera. 

Great isn't it?

If I didn't have a reason to return it before (which I did), I sure had one today. Granted I personally wasn't using it as a security system, but knowing that most people would indeed purchase said camera to help keep their home (and family) safe. Knowing that it has such a deeply (and apparently unknown) flaw that could potentially put you at bigger risk, I just had to put this mini- PSA out there. 

As for other security camera's, I can't speak on their behalf. All I know is that this exact camera (the one from yesterday's post) was put to the test and failed miserably, therefore defeating my entire post yesterday and bringing to light a serious issue that Google (the company that makes the camera) should immediately address. 

If you wish to see the segment from Inside Edition, simply click HERE and watch for yourself! 

In the meantime, stay safe and keep on rockin' Jedi's. This camera may have put a damper on home security, but it doesn't have to be the end of tech savvy protection! 

Do We Have a Ghost?! Home Security Camera Review!

WARNING: This post will be about paranormal and some activity that I personally feel has truly happened within our household. While I'm not saying ghosts or spirits are definitively real and you must believe my story, I am saying that I personally do believe in the supernatural afterlife. If you aren't a fan of stories regarding ghosts, come back tomorrow for a different topic. If it doesn't bother you and you'd like to read a review about a new security camera I got for the home, keep on reading! Love you all regardless!

For a few months now I've been "experiencing" out of normal instances that have led me to truly believe we have a visitor of some sort on our hands. It started with footsteps heard walking down the hallway on our carpet, to things mysteriously being placed elsewhere or completely disappearing, to noises of actual people in the living room while we're asleep. 

I constantly looked for an "excuse" of sorts to help better "understand" what I was hearing, but with continuous strange "behavior" happening throughout countless nights, I can't seem to shake the feeling that something [or someone] is lurking throughout our home. 

First off I don't feel terrified or threatened at all. Whether or not this is an entity at all or even a bad entity of sorts, is left to be determined. I will say that I will be purchasing sage and placing holy water throughout the house...just in case. 

The most recent "major" activity that had taken place was a moment around 1 am, when I thought I could hear crying in our living room. Being a mother, I immediately awoken to check on my padawan, thinking he had slept walked into the living room and woke himself up in "scared mode". To my astonishment my little one was fast asleep in his bed, undisturbed. 

I immediately tried to shake it off as outside noise that somehow seemed very very close, but I kept having this tiny little doubt in the back of my head. So I decided to "experiment" with a security camera set up in the home.

After browsing for a while, a guy at Target recommended that we try out this particular camera brand "Nest". 

Apparently it's top of the line, records (for an additional subscription fee), provides 24 hour HD 1080p live footage, allows you to listen and talk through the camera, gives you exclusive access to an app that can be used on your smartphone or tablet, night vision, and alerts to whenever motion has been detected. They also told me I had 30 days to return for a full refund if I wasn't happy. 

SOLD!

We quickly got home and with mild anticipation for nightfall, I unwrapped the new technology toy and set it up with ease. 

Inside the box comes a mini brown "folder" filled with pamphlets and directions., the camera itself with a magnetic stand (strong enough to even hang out on the fridge), a power cord, the power adapter (to be plugged into the wall), a mount for the wall (which you can magnetically place the camera), and 3 screws. 

I wasn't about to go ahead and drill holes into my wall, so I opted out of hanging anything up, but the strength was well beyond my expectations. I shook the camera while magnetically attached to the mount (with a pile of blankets underneath, just in case) and nothing budged. I truly think it's safe to say that the camera would mount with ease. 

The cord length is decent enough to hang in the corner of a standard home wall, but if you're outlet is not directly underneath or close by, you might find that you're going to need an extension cord. 

The pamphlet basically gave a few easy steps on how to set up the camera:

Plug in your camera, download the app, scan the QR code on the back of the camera, connect to wifi, and place the camera where you'd like it to produce a video feed. 

The peripheral of the camera is pretty wide, giving us a great view of the living room/kitchen/hallway if we so desired. However, I wanted to use it in the actual hallway for optimal night vision and to see if we'd truly get any sort of "image". 

The hallway has been the most "active", which is why I wanted to start there. 

The app itself is a very simple and easy to use system, giving you self explanatory steps. With your purchase you are given a free trial of "Nest Aware", which gives you a "taste" of what you'd get with a full paid subscription - recording to the "Nest Cloud", holding live feed footage for 10 days, and a few other minor details that aren't relevant unless you have multiple Nest products. 

You simply set up a simple account - which you can add additional family members too so they can watch the footage as well - and check out your live video footage. 

You can scroll back to prior footage (by scrolling down), but I will say that getting an exact location on the time feed is a little bit tricky. Sometimes the video won't play back from 5 minutes ago and sometimes it skips. If you're just patient though, you're likely to get a good use out of this app. 

In the app you can also set up "away" mode and "home" mode, depending on how you want to use your camera. Some people wish to have it on "home" mode at all times, which could be a little annoying at times, because when you go out of frame and then back into frame, you'll get a notification. Regardless it hasn't been a true bother to me, but that's up to the discretion of the buyer I think.

You can also adjust your "night vision" and either make it automatic (the camera would automatically switch over to night vision when it got dark) or consistently night vision (where it's in "night vision" mode the whole time. Again, that's up to the buyers discretion. 

After using the camera for a few nights, I've come to this conclusion: I will be returning it. 

Overall it provides great quality video, an awesome option to talk directly through the camera to someone on the other side, and an app that does you give you full control. The one minor yet big hitch is that your internet will truly "make or break" your experience with this camera.

Numerous times the camera would "turn off" or "go offline" at all hours of the day and night. Whether it was because of poor signal in a specific location or simply because the internet was being stretched "too thinly", it agitated me to no end. I thought to myself, "what if I wasn't home and truly needed to use this camera for full security and the internet wouldn't allow it to consistently produce a live feed." 

Granted that wasn't my original plan, but it still made me reconsider this purchase. Also - as you should know by now - I wouldn't want you guys to go through this frustrating time with a camera that you may truly need to keep your peace of mind. 

While I will 100% be returning this purchase, I do think that if you aren't in an immediate need of a camera for security purposes and simply want to "test it out" or [like myself] want to see what happens at night, AND perhaps have really good internet service, you should check out Nest. 

This product - along with their other high tech gadgets - are known to be excellent quality products worth using. I can't speak on other services Nest provides, but I can say that out of 5 stars, I'd give this a 4.5. It's mostly due to the video feed consistently being cut out if in a "bad area", but again that could be because of my internet. 

As for catching anything on footage, we don't have any solid proof other than a few "weird and unusual" notifications at peculiar times during the night, that the camera "sees something". What it's exactly picking up, is left to be decided. For now though, I'm going to continue using it for a few more nights before returning it to Target. 

EDIT!!! It has come to my attention that this camera is NOT suitable as a home security camera! There has been a new report stating that there is a flaw in the camera's system, making it easily turned off from a remote location by tech savvy crooks! Check out my post HERE to see the report in further detail!!!

How To Make Money From INSIDE The Thrift Store!!!

In yesterday's post I talked about my lovely thrift haul and how I was ever so blessed to not only find excellent clothes, but make money while doing it. What I didn't disclose was HOW I made the money from inside Goodwill. Well that's about to change with this post.

And before you get any sort of negative ideas, what I did was completely legal and I didn't do anything you can't do. 

A while back I talked about how you could easily make some money as a side gig (or a real job if you put enough time and energy into it) by using apps and websites that weren't Craigslist (see that post HERE). While those tips are extremely valuable, I've come up with a [sometimes] quick and easy way to use those apps/websites to generate quick cash from really anywhere. I just so happened to use one in particular from inside the Goodwill, that led me to make a purchase that benefited me greatly. 

Thrift stores - especially Goodwill - can be a goldmine for pricey finds you can flip. One thing I've learned quickly is that if you find a Goodwill that receives decent donations, you'll find that they often have purses or shoes in a display case WELL worth the price they're selling it for. 

It was during this last trip from over the weekend, that I noticed a Juicy Couture purse in a showcase. I debated purchasing it for myself - mostly because I thought it looked awesome - but then it dawned on me. If I think this purse is cute AND it's a legit Juicy Couture (you can look up how to authentic a purse, but [most] Goodwill's will authentic prior to putting them on the floor) then it could probably resell quickly to another purse lover. 

I asked to see the purse, snapped a quick pic, and said I would purchase the item. They let me hold onto while I browsed (if they don't, you can always ask them to hold it for you at the register) and that's when my "journey" began. 

Using the picture I took, I posted it on the app "OfferUp". This links you to members of the app (buyers and sellers) closest to you. Simply create your add and wait for the notifications. 

Now I'll be honest, I wasn't sure this would work. In fact if you try this, it could take a lot longer than what I experienced but if you post during a weekend AND during busy hours (afternoon mostly) you're likely to have just as much luck as me. 

Within moments I received an offer of $70 (which was $5 less than I had posted it for). I told them there was one small ripped stitch on the inside, but she quickly responded that she didn't care. With it's good size and overall good condition, she was willing to meet me within minutes to pick it up. So I purchased said purse for $25 along with my other items, walked outside, put my bag in the car, and waited by the nearby juice shop. 

The girl came, picked up the purse, and I walked away with cash in hand. 

If you deduct the $25 I spent on the purse, plus the $15 I spent on clothing, I STILL made $30. That means that just by walking through the store and posting a quick ad on Offer Up, I was able to practically get paid for enjoying myself. 

I sat in my car and thought to myself how awesome it was that an impromptu shopping trip to lead to me driving away with cash in hand. That's when I also realized I had to share this "tip" with all of you. 

My key points would be this:

- Be honest with your buyers about the the quality and condition of EVERY item you sell

- Look out for unique finds that aren't too high priced

- Never jump into a buy that you aren't completely sure about (which is why I held onto the purse and posted the ad prior to actually buying the purse)

- Trust your instinct

- Post during high traffic times (when people are browsing the most - weekends)

Sometimes what you might like may not be what everyone else likes, but there's a good chance that if Goodwill has a well known brand on display in a case, you can find a higher bid for that item. The best part is that with just holding onto the item in the store while waiting for bites, you're not wasting any money. 

Of course with a little research and practice you could make definitive decisions on future purchases before posting the ad, but for those tight on cash or skeptical you can try this technique without any real waste. Like I said before though, it's not a guarantee. 

I do think this is a valuable trick to acquire however, because you truly never know. If you have the chance to possibly make a little cash and get your finds for [practically] free, why not test it out?! I know that from now on I'm heading to the showcases first at any Goodwill and then browsing for potential purchases, because while there may be off days the good are sure to come. I just know it!

Thrift Store Haul: I Got $15 Worth of Clothing, FREE!!!

Happy Monday Jedi's! I hope you had a fantastic weekend! 

On Saturday I was lucky enough to head to our local Goodwill early morning, for some [hopefully] fresh finds with my padawan. While I didn't find very many items for my little guy (which is exactly why we went in the first place - don't worry, we found some elsewhere) I was able to find a few key items for myself. The best part? They were FREE! That's right, freaking free. 

Sort of. But before I get into that, let's see what exactly I found! Also, if you're looking to dive into the world of thrifting or simply want to better you're experience, check out my post about how to successfully shop at thrift stores. 

First for the tops (left to right):

I found a beautiful dark blue/purple/light blue blouse, that closely mimics that silky feeling. It's perfect for either a night out, a date, or even a slightly more dressed up outfit for the day. I love how light it felt and for only $1.99 I couldn't pass it up. 

Next up was a turquoise Nike "muscle tee" styled shirt, perfect for the hot up coming days. The only "odd" part is that it's a bit warmer material, somewhat like a sweat shirt. Which in a way makes sense since it's [probably] a sports shirt for working out in. However I plan on wearing this for beach days, adventure days, or even errand days. It came out to $2.99, most likely because it was a popular brand. 

Another "muscle tee" style shirt that I purchased, was an off brand white t-shirt with a really pretty "sunset" colored print on the front. With sunflowers blended into the mix, it reminded me of the summer season quickly approaching and the spring season that is now upon us. It came out to only $0.99 and I couldn't be happier with it! 

My last shirt is a longer styled, 3/4 sleeved shirt with "lace" stitching on the front. It's very airy and light, making it still suitable for the hot days (and not so hot days). The reason I love this $1.99 shirt, isn't just because of the color - if you can't tell, I love almost any combination of blue and green - but also because it provides additional coverage for when I'm wearing leggings. No I'm not prancing around with see thru leggings, but sometimes modesty is my goal while still being comfortable. This helps me to achieve that along with a stylish look.

I also purchased a pair of shorts for $2.99, because after realizing that I only owned one pair of light colored jean shorts, I desperately hoped I'd find a well fitting pair. That's exactly what I got with these. The only downside is they need to be re-ironed, because the fold is "off", but it's a simple fix that I don't have an issue with. Plus, they fit perfectly and are going to be needed for the heat that I'm sure is going to be present this year. 

I also purchased two dresses - both $1.99, can you believe it?! 

I wanted a nice dress for any parties or church events that I will be attending (the white dress with navy blue flowers printed on it) and a spring/summer dress for casual dates, daytime adventures, or a dressier day (the turquoise dress with multi colored flowers). 

Both are form fitting with plenty of loose flow, while still giving me a complimenting figure. They are also a good length - again for modesty reasons - without making me look like a complete prude (no judgment or offense). 


Personally I fell in love with both of them for a multitude of reasons, but another big one is that they both look good with converse and/or heels. Versatility is key with this momma. 

Overall I paid about $15, making this an excellent day. But wait, there's more!

While I was browsing the aisles, I came across one particular NON clothing item that not only paid for my entire purchase, but also left me with a little spending money. All without leaving the store.
 It was a stroke of luck and genius combined. Want to know how I got everything for free and a little extra side cash from inside Goodwill? Come back tomorrow for a secret tool I've learned and how you too can walk out with clothes and cash!

Food Feature Friday #22: Secret Health Foods and a Common Misconception!

In today's society healthy living is a much more frequent component in eateries across the world, along with households united. Between having kids and simply wanting a better feeling throughout our bodies, people are constantly researching the best foods/dishes to provide filling yet healthy meals. Sometimes however, we miss out on some common yet unknown healthy foods that we don't usually add onto our grocery lists for some reason or another. 

After talking to nutritionists and researching unique ways to help organs - inevitably helping your body as a whole - I've found that while spinach and carrots are fantastic, you may be surpassing key components to a complete nutritional cleanse. 

To help better your experience in the health food world, I devised a mini list of ingredients to up the ante when it comes to getting the most bang for your buck!

Tamarind
These are pod-like fruits that you can find in many common grocery stores.You may have heard of "tamarindo", a drink at most Mexican eateries, which is made from this sweet fruit. Something you may not know is that they are excellent for rejuvenating and cleansing the liver. It's been known to help treat your liver and make it "20 years younger". There are reports that it's "cured" fatty livers as well. 

Prickly Pear Cactus
This is also found at many grocery stores (Mexican grocers seem to be your best bet) and is the only fruit to have all 24 known betalains (powerful antioxidants). You can drink it in a smoothie (or a juice), cook it, or even directly apply it to your skin. Obviously applying it to your skin isn't an "eating thing", but many beauty gurus on YouTube have even attested to the amazing properties healing acne scars and replenishing dry skin. One food, many uses. 

These two foods have given me tremendous health benefits that I've physically felt within just a few days of using, including detoxing. They are also easily accessible and way more affordable than the high priced vitamins and cleaning products sold in stores. 

One thing I've also learned during my road to recovery (health wise), is that a very common health food isn't as healthy or beneficial as we've all been led to believe!

Kale
It's no secret that kale has been added to a huge portion of menu items to try and combat the unhealthy eating habits we've [unfortunately] become accustomed to. Something you may not know however, is that kale isn't as amazing as everyone makes it out to be. 

Don't get me wrong, it can provide a bunch of healthy nutrients and vitamins, but too much (of anything really) isn't a good thing. You see, kale is a high fibrous food which doesn't always break down easily for some people. Raw kale is "worse" in this sense, often causing your body to work overtime to break down the kale. 

Like I said, kale is a wonderful green food that [when taken in small quantities] can truly transform your eating habits and give you loads of beneficial properties, but if you feel bloated or weighed down in a sense after eating kale, you may want to slow your roll and rethink adding it in such high quantities. 

The key point should be that every health food can be great for you, but in appropriate portions. Anything in multiple high quantities can give you a negative adverse affect, but adding the two new foods I've provided (again within reason) you should be able to add a few new items to your healthy meals throughout the week. 

Perhaps make a smoothie with cactus one day and tamarinds the next, giving you variety as well! Because let's face it, you don't want to drink one type of drink every day. It gets repetitive and boring.

My Soul Is Tired.

Found HERE

Life is a cruel and beautiful instance. It's filled with circumstances that make and break us. It's constantly showing us the little things we took for granted and probably will continue to take for granted as time goes on. We're always being persecuted by our own imaginations as adults and forcing creativity during less than desirable situations. 

When did we loose our mojo's? When did daily life become moments of "wake up, deal with today, go back to sleep." When did we stop living for ourselves without concern of other people's judgment? 

I myself have created a unique situation to which I'm having to remind myself of who I am on a daily basis. This isn't to say the situation is toxic or undesirable, but it's a reminder that I'm not stuck in the past. It's me choosing to not look back and move forward, even thought I so desperately want to hit pause on everything surrounding me. 

Pushing myself past the point of breaking, I'm stretching my inner soul into a figment of my imagination and no longer wish to anticipate what's to come. What this means about my life, I'm not quite sure, but what I do know is that I must grasp my own personal imagination from the depths of my mind and recapture what my vision has always been.

I've let my blog slip along with other things, because so much has come forth in my life that has kept me from fully releasing my personal information, out of fear for others to judge. I've looked back at prior posts, desperately wishing I could resurface in a week or so with a million new ideas ready to please all of you.

However that's not possible.

I know that you deserve better. Hell, I deserve better. This is why I've stopped putting the emphasis on consistently hitting my keyboard and more on quality of material. I do intend on keeping true to the daily routine, but I think I need to take a step back from reality and live in the fantasy for a while. 

I miss taking photos. I miss creating. I miss thrifting. I miss eating. I miss exploring. I miss reviewing. So I'm going to make a comeback.

For the past few months I've struggled to maintain my anxiety, motherhood skills, and the blogger life. I've held back. That's going to change.

Tomorrow I will provide an eating post that [I pray] will suffice as the end conclusion to this week, but this weekend I have plans. I have a plan to overcome this drought and bring forth the gold I've held onto. 

I'm tired you guys. I'm exhausted, broken, and questioning many many decisions. I'm tired. So for now I will bid you ado with yet another mediocre post, but I leave you with this. I'm coming back. I've said it before, but I've never been a tell-er. I'm a show-er. 

Mommy's Worn Thin.

Today was an extremely tough day for us as a duo (my padawan and I). 

You see while my son is home schooled, we've set it up to where he could get "enrichment classes" during the week, twice a week: Monday's and Wednesday's. These classes not only provided my son with a chance to learn alternatively with a small group hands-on, but it helped with socializing. Or so I hoped.

Well for the first few classes, he did great. Everything was smooth, until a few days ago when he decided to fight me to the end. He's struggling to be independent and stay in class without me. This has proven frustrating and very very tiresome for me. 

I have zero breaks. When my darling mother and wonderful step dad watch me son, most of the time it's to go to a church class. Granted they watched him so I could go out to an event for "me time", but holy macaroni. 

I love my son dearly, but I need DAYTIME mommy time. I'm wearing myself ragged to handle all the responsibilities of maintaining the household, homeschooling, and blog of course, but I have zero time to just relax while doing what I need to for myself. 

I've contemplated putting my son in regular school, but homeschooling was originally chosen to help challenge him and smoothly integrate him into society as a smart, confident boy. Well it seems to have backfired unfortunately.

Today we had to walk out of school to not further disrupt the other students and I could feel myself mentally breaking. 

Don't get me wrong, I can handle the stress and move past this trying time without falling apart completely, but I've grown exhausted of this homeschooling life. 

I love the school. I love the idea. I love the concept. I love the flexibility. I love the challenges. I love the personalized learning path. I just don't love that it's come to this. 

With everything going on, battling my 5 year old to go to school, and dealing with daily doings, I've just become too tired to blog something significant today. So I apologize, but this momma has worn herself incredibly thin. I need a bath and some rest. 

So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to stuff my face with a chocolate muffin, take a shower, and go to sleep, because today needs to come to an end for me. 

Pet Peeves As A Parent.

Found HERE

Parenting is notoriously frustrating and an extremely underrated career (because let's be honest here, parenting never stops). It's filled with moments of "seriously?!", "HOW?!", and "AHHHHHHHHHHH". 

Don't get me wrong, it's beyond worth it and I'm truly grateful for my opportunity to be a parent, but sometimes [like we all] I get to my almost breaking point and burst with relief when my padawan is asleep.

Today was a very typical day and nothing out of the ordinary happened except for the fact that I began to notice how much I've changed as a human, just being a mom. I feel this stands true for almost everyone in a wide variety of aspects, but we don't step back often enough to evaluate our self progression through each trying time in our lives.

To be honest, I think if we did we'd stop beating ourselves up and hanging ourselves mentally. 

I had just sat on my couch, coffee in hand, muffin ready to be devoured, when my precious spawn waltzed out of his room to ask me a very important question: "Can you make me something else to eat?"

You see, I had already made him a breakfast before I sat down to enjoy mine, because I know if I didn't he'd be staring me down while I took each and every bite. Trust me, it's just better for everyone. Besides this is a naturalistic habit of parents, kids first. Well apparently he had devoured it and requested a second breakfast (can you tell he's my kid?). 

I proceed to look at my coffee with such sadness, as I hadn't even taken a sip yet, then sat it on the coffee table and went to the kitchen to prepare something else for the precious prince. 

While I was whipping up something, I heard him say "can I have some muffin?". 

Let me explain something. I have pet peeves, just like all of you I'm sure. One of them [really most of them] has to do with food and a HUGE one someone else taking the first bite of my food. It's rude and just plain morally wrong in my book!

I mean, how can you sit there and enjoy that first precious bite (which can never be repeated with that particular plate) of MY food?! You monster. Of course I couldn't say that to my little padawan, so as I gritted my teeth I said "sure honey" in the calmest voice possible. 

I came back into the living room to find that he had indeed stuffed a huge portion of my muffin in to his mouth. So I simply said, "you can have it", only to be greeted with a "thanks momma!".

Thanks. I had to endure my pet peeve, watch my muffin basically walk away, be kept from my coffee, and all with a smile. That's something I never thought I'd be able to do. I nodded and said, "good job" to myself and realized that I am constantly progressing in a positive way. I'm being pushed by someone who has me by their pinkie and I truly think that's the only way that I'm able to push past these frustrating moments as a person. 

It's this that has led me to stop being my own worst enemy. 

Every night before bed when I'm unwinding, I immediately push my mind to a positive state and force myself to replay the day and think of what I've learned. Where have I grown and where can I do better. 

My advice to you is this: Stop beating yourself up, stop crucifying your habits, stop wishing you did better. Focus on what you've completed and what you've progressed from everyday. You might be surprised to find that you've accomplished more than meets the eye.

Setting Up A Tortoise Tank For Cheap!!!

If you've read [practically] any of my posts last week, you'd know that we purchased ourselves a family tortoise named Yoda. He's a red footed shell of fun who's living arrangement was temporarily causing construction mayhem in our living room, due to the fact that I just HAD to DIY it. 

Between trying to build the actual tank and setting up the inside to specific specifications, I darn near went bonkers trying to fully complete the freaking thing last week. 

Well I'm happy to say that everything has FINALLY been completed (as I mentioned on Friday's post). The furnishings have been placed, the substrate has been laid, and Yoda has finally gotten the chance to test out the "living quarters" over the weekend, with me monitoring his movements to better comprehend whether or not he actually likes the "tank".

Let me start out by saying something very important before any tortoise lover attacks me, this "tank" is not something for a long term or permanent enclosure. It's not nearly big enough nor does it meet the minimum requirement for a long term living situation. While I don't necessarily think it's a tiny little enclosure that he's "squashed" in, Yoda gets ample exercise (and UV/Sun exposure for those concerned about the "absent" light) all during the day to keep him a happy healthy tortoise. 

Once everything was built and "waterproofed" inside, I was able to finally create an oasis for our newest family friend. 

I started off by laying down an "Eco Carpet", which helps to keep the substrate moisten AND further protect the wood (even though it's been treated). This was a simple product (ours was made for a 50 gallon tank, but they have smaller ones) that I found at the local pet store. 

Once it was spread across the tank's floor I began to create the substrate flooring for the perfect balance of comfy and humid by using two separate substrate materials for separate areas of the tank. This is to create an extra humid and cool hiding spot during hot days and a multipurpose "everyday" area for walking around and lounging in the sun. The two substrates are by "Zoo Med" (found on Amazon for way cheaper than in stores). One is Eco Earth which is a coconut husk material (the "everyday" roaming area) and the other is Forest Floor which is more of a "wood" mix (for the extra humid and cool area). 

Speaking of the shaded area, we used our hiding log - given to us for free by the pet shop - in the resting area (where it's most humid and shaded) and then put a special background (found in clearance section at pet store) behind it, to give a little extra glory to Yoda's "bedroom". This is also the area we put our thermometer and humidifier as it's the most used area in the tank, since the tank is essentially his bedroom, bathroom, and eating area. 

As for decoration, the back of the tank is half plexiglass (the bottom half) and half chicken wire (the top half), so that Yoda is protected but given a little extra air flow. 

I found some cheap fish tank fake plants (reptile plants are WAY more expensive) that were all bundled up on one "vine". It was meant to be a floating type plant stuck in one area, but I decided to alter it by cutting each vine section separate from the rest. This gave me a total of 5 pieces. 

I then used extra thick thread (weave thread you can find at the hair salon or Amazon) to tie them to the very top of the chicken wire, directly underneath the wooden frame. I thought this would give a little bit of a prettier look and some plant decor for Yoda to admire. I simply threaded the string through the chicken wire holes and manipulated the plants to stick up how I wanted them to show. 

Yes I'm aware he's an animal and probably doesn't care about my decorating skills, but it's the thought that counts. Besides, it's pretty and I like it. 

The last few steps were just minor details in a bigger picture. 

My padawan chose a very unique - and pretty darn cool if I do say so myself - skull (normally for a fish tank) and I bought a cuttlebone stick for him to chew on (called Turtle Bone and found at pet stores). The only other separate detail is the rocks around his eating area, which were all found (and cleaned) by walking through the neighborhood.

No we didn't steal them, they were extras from some home project and were just going to be thrown away, so we made use of them.

All in all we spent about $30 by buying clearance, purchasing items not initially intended for tortoises (but safe) and ordering from Amazon (yay Prime). 

Side note: a really unique feature of our tank is that the front is actually a pull out front, making cleaning, setting up, and maintaining the tank extremely easy. This was an essential piece of in designing our homemade tank. 


Now that I've watched Yoda interact with everything over the weekend, I can conclude that he's simply content with sleeping, going to the bathroom, and eating. Which is exactly what it was designed for.

During the day Yoda strolls through our [tortoise proof] house and basks in the sun that beams through our [open] windows for hours on end. Trust me, he's a spoiled and very loved tortoise. He's also the perfect addition to our little family and I'm really proud with how well our entire creation turned out! What do you guys think?

Food Feature Friday #21: Chicken Wings on a Friday Night!

It's Friday, the weather was amazing (in sunny San Diego), and the vibes are good all around. So what food would make this Friday night even better? Chicken wings!

Chicken wings are the staple to a good Summer afternoon and sporting events. Granted it's not summer time and we didn't watch sports (yes I'm aware college basketball is going on), but that didn't deter me from wanting to chow down on some spicy chicken wings. Question was, where would I get my finger licking goodies at? 

More often than not I find that chicken wings can be on the pricier side of the spectrum when going to a "fast food" styled place, so grocery stores seem to be the best bet. So long as they ACTUALLY do them right. If you don't want to pay the price for hot and ready wings, you could always go down the more "frowned" upon path and purchase frozen wings. 

Yes of course you could make homemade wings with a few key ingredients and spices, but I had zero time for that today and a mean hankering for delicious wings. Personally I don't see the big deal with frozen wings (meaning they're delicious to me and I don't care what anyone thinks), so I made it a point to head to the grocery store and purchase some. 

Now I had initially intended to purchase a bag from Costco, but during my trip to Trader Joe's (which I had only planned to buy almond butter from) I noticed an 

item I had not tried before but so desperately craved at that exact moment. Chicken wings.

That's right, Trader Joe's has chicken wings. 

Sure you may have noticed them - since they were released in 2015 - but I had not known of this splendid find until today. Naturally I picked up a bag and skipped (not literally) my happy self home, only to immediately turn on the oven and bake these beauties. 

After about 30 minutes (depending on how your oven cooks) in the traditional oven, I was granted a mouthwatering whiff of decadent spicy chicken wings and immediately poured a bowl of ranch to dip these savory wings in.

Upon the first bite, I fell in love. 

But it wasn't all fun and yum. There were a few "bad sides" to these $5.99 bag of wings. The biggest issue really is the quantity. The quality over all is excellent for the price and it's exactly what I want in chicken wings, but to only get [roughly] 8 wings in a bag was a bit disappointing. 

I am aware that it's an average amount for the price, but I suppose I was holding hope for a better bargain. 

Regardless of the juicy, tender, and flavorful chicken wings coming in a limited quantity, I will DEFINITELY repurchase these savory finger foods. 

They are perfect for a one person dinner or an "appetizer" for two. They have the perfect balance of juicy chicken and spicy sauce. I have to say they aren't spicy to where you'd be dying for water - which isn't a quality I like when it comes to chicken wings, but to each their own - but it's just enough kick for the "average" taste bud. 

All in all, these wings were perfection for my craving. So if you're in the market for some delicious and easy chicken wings, head to Trader Joe's and pick up a pack of their "Hot and Spicy Chicken Wings"!

(I know I didn't take a pic of the wings cooked, I will tomorrow...yes I'm making more) 

Ps. we DID in fact complete the tank and set it all up, but that will be shown on Monday's post in a full review/tutorial. Have a great weekend Jedi's!

Good News and "Bad" News.

Good news: our DIY turtle tank (the one I've been discussing basically all week) is finally finished. A few decoration pieces need to be placed and I need to put the rest of the necessities in it, but Yoda is finally sleeping in his new tank tonight.

Bad news: I didn't take a picture because I didn't finish making it "pretty", but also because today I had an untimely doctors appt that left me in quite some pain. Nothing to worry about, just have to take it easy today.

Tomorrow however, I'll be sprucing up Yoda's tank once and for all AND I'll take a picture to share with you guys.

I know tomorrow is Food Feature Friday and I still have an awesome food item to review for you all, but I thought I'd share with you guys the finish product still, so you guys aren't left with nothing until Monday.

As for me, I'm going to be sleeping my heart out till morning. I've eaten - as much as I could, I've showered, and my padawan is asleep. So now this momma is going to sleep.

Goodnight Jedi's and sorry about the impromptu "whatever" post. I love you guys and may the force be with you all!

Construction At Home: So Close And Proud of It. (Turtle Tank Pt. 2)

Yesterday I was telling you guys about our DIY turtle tank production and let me tell you, I'm so freaking done with this. Luckily though, we have ONE last thing to do before putting in the substrate and decorating the tank for our lucky little Yoda tomorrow. 

Today we started off with a fresh slate. My padawan went to school for a few hours, which meant uninterrupted construction could take place. 

The frame was finally finished, the slide out front was [mostly] constructed (see more of that tomorrow), everything was sprayed with a waterproofing material, caulking is drying, and finally moved to it's [semi] permanent position. 

I say "semi", because knowing me I'll want to rearrange it later on and whenever we get our tiny house (yes it's happening people...someday) things will [obviously] be changing. 

Yesterday's  quest to get things completed today didn't go quite as planned, but I am super happy with the progress. 

First up was to complete the back portion of the tank, where it would be half plexiglass and half "chicken wire" (not really sure what it is, but it came free with the stuff we got from our pet store).

Let me start off by saying that plexiglass is probably thee most annoying material to work with (so far that I've found). It's delicate, it's flimsy, it's tough, it's frustrating, and it's so damn finicky! Well, at least this piece was. 

After scoring the plexiglass (a million freaking times) to size and sanding down the "broken" edges, I had to drill a new hole in a few spots to help screw it securely to the frame. Well what was quickly learned, is that if you don't have a steady and patient hand (or the right drill bit) you will be left with a crack through your piece of plexi. Yay. Luckily there was just enough plexi glass from our big score that I was able to try again. This time with success. 

Once that was completed, I got to work on the chicken wire stuff. 

Ps, HIGHLY recommend that when working with plexi glass and/or chicken wire stuff, USE GLOVES. Trust me, it's not fun to get poked or cut by either material. 

I had to cut it to size with the half plexi glass I had cut, to create a "breeze" in one area of the tank. I've been worried about it getting too hot, which is why I created a small area of just "mesh". Plus Yoda's tank will be by a window, so he will get the light AND air he needs. Just not too much to where he's cold or toasting. Also, he "runs" around the house so I'm pretty sure this tank will be for when we aren't home and bedtime. 

With that completed and the other plexi glass pieces cut (along with a few wooden sides and some screws put it), the caulking was completed and left to dry. Everything was also sprayed (to be waterproof) and now all we do is wait. 

I was able to move the tank to it's "permanent" location and FINALLY clean up the house. 

You have NO idea how good it felt to look at my clean living room/dining room/kitchen and know that it was completely unobstructed and tidy. It felt almost as good as eating a piece of cake while binge watching a Netflix series you love. Almost. 

With everything taken care of and only one thing to do (finish constructing the slide in/slide out piece), I'm ready to go to sleep with a clear peace of mind. 

Nothing really daunting or messy about finishing up the project tomorrow. Everything is organized and picked up around the house, dinner was made, showers were given, and kisses goodnight are completed. It's time for this momma to relax, watch something on Netflix, snack something delicious, and doze into sleepy town. 

Oh sweet slumber how I'm fully prepared for you. 

So I may not have completed the tank to the finish line, but tomorrow [I pray to God] will be the big finale. I'm not upset about it, because as the real Yoda always says, "Patience young padawan". 

Happy Wednesday Jedi's and may the force be with you all!