Christmas Hand-print Tree/Wall Art

Xmas is finally here!!


I love this time of the year. People pretend to like each other; I accrued major debt by buying more than I should; and winter, which I really don't like, becomes wonderful and bearable.

Feeling jolly and on a sugar high from the homemade banana-chocolate bread and shortbread cookies I made during Thanksgiving, I decided to finally craft something from Pinterest.

Check out the original wall art from Pinterest. Sorry, but I can't find the link.

Below, you will find what I did.

It was a collaborative effort. Hubby's hand prints are at the bottom of the tree, next are my prints, followed by Camila's prints, and Caio's. I made sure to use washable, kid-friendly paint, and outlined the star and trunk of the tree with a black Sharpie.

Cute and fun project.

Nutella Oatmeal Bars

 You may not know this, but I have a sweet tooth ;) . Unfortunately, my sweet tooth is very selective. For instance, I love chocolate, but don't like chocolate cakes. In face, I don't like most cakes. In order for me to eat it, it needs to be drenched in condensed milk. Yeah, baby!

Recently, I watched an episode of Giada at Home and became intrigued by her Peanut butter Granola Bar. Not a fan of peanut butter (I swear, this is not a blog about my dislikes), I decided to change it up and add Nutella and omit the chocolate chips. OMG! It's heavenly.

Check out the recipe.

Ingredients

• Vegetable cooking spray
• 1 egg 
• 1/2 cup of Nutella
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup (1-stick) butter, melted
• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted, *see Cook's Note

Directions

Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 7 by 10 3/4-inch nonstick baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Lay a 6 by 18-inch piece of parchment paper in the pan, allowing the excess paper to hang over the sides. Spray the parchment paper lightly with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, using a hand beater, beat the egg. Stir in the peanut butter, brown sugar, and honey. Add the melted butter, oats and almonds.

Using a rubber spatula, spread mixture into the prepared baking pan, pressing lightly to form an even layer. Bake until the edge of the mixture begins to brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 1 hour. Cut into 1 1/2-inch squares and serve.

*Cook's Note: To toast almonds, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven until lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Clean up is also easy. Even a 3-year old can do it :) 

Bath Paint for a 3-year Old

 Yes, I'm going for the Mom-of-the-Year award and think that the bath paint will get me there.

While searching the Internet for kid-friendly projects, I ran into a bath paint tutorial. Since Camila, as most kids, loves bath time, I decided to give it a try. 

Camila loves it! She spends a great amount of time coloring the bath walls, rinsing it, and coloring it again. To make it more interactive and help increase motor skills, I draw on the walls circles, stars, and letters with bath crayons. I then ask her to fill in the drawings with the paint. Love it!

Ingredient (I cut the tutorial recipe in half since I have kid-friendly containers that hold 1/2 paint)

• 1/2 cup of tear-free clear liquid soap
• 2 Tbs of corn starch
• Food coloring 

Directions

• Whisk together all the ingredients and pour it into a plastic, kid-friendly container. Done!

Pineapple-Sweet Cocktail

Hubby is the best! After the kids went to sleep and all was quiet, he decided to bring out the blender and whip me up a cocktail (gotta love his way of thinking). Knowing that I'm in a deep, loving, and committed relationship with condensed milk, he made a tasty pineapple, rum, condensed milk cocktail. Yum! I titled it Pineapple Sweet :)

You give it a try:

Ingredients: Pineapple Sweet

* Pineapple chunks or pineapple juice
* 1-2 tablespoons of condensed milk
* a cut of ice
* enough rum to knock a person out
* sprig of mint

Directions:
* Add all ingredients, except the mint, into a blender and mix away. Pour mixture into a glass, garnish it with a sprig of mint, and serve.

National Cocktail Day

I have decided to make Tuesdays National Cocktail day.  You may ask why a Tuesday and not a Friday or Saturday. Simple! Tuesdays are my toughest teaching day. On Ts, I teach 3 very different 1 1/2 hour classes and to spice up the day a little more, I also pump every 3 hours (I'm still breastfeeding) , and plan for the next day. By the time I leave work, I am more than ready for a drink!

Being that Tuesdays are now National Cocktail day, I am posting one of my favorite recipes:

Traditional Caipirinha:

Ingredients

• 1/2 lime, quartered

• 1 teaspoon white sugar (add more if needed)

• 2 1/2 fluid ounces cachaca (I have also used Vodka and it tastes just as good)

• 1 cup ice cubes
• 
  

Directions

1. In a large rocks glass squeeze and drop in 2 eighths of lime. Add sugar, crush and mix with a spoon. Pour in the cachaca and plenty of ice. Stir well.

Great Friday

It's finally Friday and the beginning of the weekend! I wanted tonight to be special and different from other nights, so I decided to cook something different. Actually, hubby nor I were in the mood to cook. To make matters worse, I was also not in the mood for take out. I know. I'm a pain in the touchy. I decided to look online for something fun, tasty, and easy.

Found it! It's a tasty, easy, and kid-friendly recipe from the Food Network. It literally took less than 10 minutes to make and it was delicious. My daughter loved the different flavors and texture of the meal. To make it all more special, we ate in the living room while watching Rio. Really, this was a great dinner and fun night for the whole family.

 Here is the recipe:
* 1/3 cup whipped cream cheese, at room temperature (about 3 ounces)
* 1/2 tablespoon honey 4 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas 1/2 small red apple, such as Red Delicious, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
* 1 cup shredded smoked mozzarella (I ended up using whatever I had at home)
* 1 cup shredded mild Cheddar (I ended up using whatever I had at home)
* 8 thin slices smoked Black Forest deli turkey meat (I ended up using whatever I had at home)
Directions:
* Spray a nonstick grill pan or nonstick griddle pan with vegetable oil cooking spray. Place over medium-high heat.
* In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese and honey until smooth. Spread evenly over 1 side of each tortilla, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge.
* Place 2 or 3 apple slices in a single row about 1 inch from the nearest edge of each tortilla.
* In a small bowl, combine the 2 cheeses. Sprinkle half the cheese mixture on top.
* Place 2 slices turkey side-by-side on top of the cheese.
* Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
* Tightly roll up each tortilla like a jelly roll. Place the tortilla rolls, seam-side down, on the grill. Cook, turning every 2 minutes, until the tortillas are brown on all sides and the cheese starts to melt.
* Cool for 10 minutes. Using a sharp serrated knife, slice each tortilla roll into 1-inch pieces. Arrange on a platter and serve.

By the way, the cream cheese and honey mixture also functions as frosting on chocolate and pumpkin cupcakes :)

The Best Pao de Queijo Recipe

I can now die and go to Brazilian heaven, a place full of Carnaval parades, brigadiers, coconut water, and men in speedos. The reason for my excitement comes from a Pao de Queijo  recipe.


This recipe is awesome! In fact, it's a hassle free, error-free, mess-free...you get the point. I found it on Our Best Bites. The recipe is perfect the way it is but being adventurous, I have, at times, made a few addition. I have added garlic, crushed black pepper, and salami (not all at the same time).

FYI: I prefer to double the recipe and eat the leftovers later in the day. If needed, place them in the micro for 10-15 seconds and eat away.

Enjoy!

Pao de Queijo

Quick Brazilian Cheese Rolls {Pao de Queijo} – Gluten Free!

Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup canola oil

1 cup tapioca flour (sometimes labeled tapioca starch) no substitutions

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 C grated cheddar cheese* (preferably medium or sharp)

1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese

*you can play around with the cheese.  I’ve used Monterey Jack, low-moisture mozarella, swiss, and even gruyere in place of the cheddar.  All great!

Optional:  extra cheese to sprinkle on top and any herbs/flavorings you’d like to add.  Try rosemary and or garlic powder, my favorites!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place egg, milk, oil, tapioca flour, and salt in blender and blend until smooth.  Add cheeses and pulse 2 times.  Immediately pour batter into a mini muffin tin (if your muffin tin isn’t non-stick, spray lightly with non-stick spray first), filling each well about 3/4 full, or just slightly less.  If desired (and I recommend), sprinkle a bit of parmesan cheese on top and/or a tiny sprinkle of kosher salt.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden.  Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes before removing rolls from pan.  Serve warm. {Que Gostoso!}

Yield: anywhere from 16-24 rolls, depending on how full you fill your muffin pan. I fill  mine pretty full (a good 3/4 full) and I generally get about 16-18

Spice Carnival Site

Yeah!!!! After a 3-week absence, my iPad has returned home. I must say once you go iPad, you never go back.

Now that I have my baby back, I am once again connected to everything that is good in the virtual world. Consequently, I ran into cute and interesting costumes site that I must share.

Spice Carnival based in Europe makes (very expensive but cute) Carnival costumes. They are creative and I  like the use of fringes--a great way to add more movement and color to a costume.

Check out some of my favorite costumes:

I'm not crazy about the bikini, but I love the feathers.

 I must have been a cowgirl and burlesque dancer in my past life. I adore the fringes and love anything with tassels.

 This costume would have been perfect for the Roman theme Carnival parade we had a few years ago. The draping of the fabric gives the costume a regal and exotic look.

Paper Mirror Project

For months I have searched for a great paper project but only now did I find the right one. While reading some of my favorite blogs, I spotted a beautiful mirror made with pages from old books.
 
The blog had a great tutorial, but of course I can't find it now.
Here are the steps:
1. I started by cutting out two cardboard circular shapes, one large and one medium. For the small circle, I used a phone book cover.
2. For the large circle, I rolled pages from a standard sized novel and secured it with a dab of hot glue. For the medium circle, I cut the pages in half, rolled them up, and also secured it with hot glue. 3. Before gluing the paper tubes to the cardboard, I attached a hook to the large cardboard. For this, I cut out a 6 inch piece from a wire hanger and attached it to the cardboard with glue. I ran the wire through the cardboard, made a loop, and glued it for extra support.
4. Once all the paper tubes were complete, I glued the large paper tubes to the perimeter of the large circle. The same applied to the smaller tubes and medium circle.
5. For the black trim around the mirror, I printed an image of a scalloped circle, transferred the shape to the phone book cover, and pray painted the paper with black paint before gluing the mirror.
6. Once all the parts were complete, I stacked them on top of each other and applied loads of glue. I love the end result and the simplicity of the project.

The mirror was a simple, inexpensive, and fast project. Plus, the circular shape of the mirror is just what I needed for my living room. The mirror will really help complete the look I've been trying to create.

Toddler and Mommy Book Selection for August

Every night, Camila and I cuddle together to read two books. For the past Few Weeks she has selected the same book, Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor. She loves the eccentric curly hair little girl who, like mommy, often walks on her tippy toes.
I enjoy the books because the protagonist has curly hair, like my little Camila, and because the drawings are colorful and whimsical.

It's wonderful to see my little one grow up and interact with other. In gymnastics, she walks around saying, "Hi, what's your name?" it's really cute, especially since her English is very limited. Needless to say, we enjoy her proactive and social attitude and try to encourage it as much as possible. Thus, What a Wonderful World by Ashly Bryan is one of our favorite books. Through colorful drawings and the lyrics of Luis Armstrong's song, the author reminds us that we are surrounded by interesting people from various backgrounds.

3 End of the Summer Projects

With less than a month to go before I return to the classroom, I am determined to do something. "What?" you may ask. I'm not sure but I have a few ideas in mind.

 

I love the DIY Cupcake Flowers. I think my little Camila would really get a kick out of them and enjoy having the flowers wrap around her new big-girl bed.

 I know summer is coming to an end, but I love anklets. It's different and funky, two qualities I love.

I really like the idea of a movie night in my backyard. I just hope Camila and her friends are not too young.

Mindless entertainment helps me become Honest

 Lately, I have fallen in love with cheap and mindless television entertainment. Hubby makes fun of me, but I can't help it. My top shows are Say Yes to the Dress (a reality show that illustrates the trials and tribulations of brides searching for the perfect wedding dress), Entertainment Tonight (a news program that presents what really matters, the lives of the rich and famous), and Keeping up with the Kardashians(love it!).

As previously mentioned, hubby makes fun of me. To make matters worse, he now refuses to watch the shows, leaving me to sneak around like an addict with a can of condensed milk. Obviously, he does not understand the educational value of such shows. For instance, I have learned to defend myself by watching Jerry Springer, and have learned to make sound decisions by watching Judge Judy. The shows are also loaded with social and cultural values. Heck, Keeping up with the Kardashians is categorized as a documentary!

Seriously, through one of the shows, I have made a great discovery. While watching ET, Jessica Alba discussed her new endeavor, the Honest Company. Launched this year, the Honest Company sells diapers, wipes, and toiletries that are environmentally friendly and safe to use on babies with sensitive skin. The products are also affordable and cute. I signed up for the once a month diaper bundle ($85 with shipping) and feel great that I'm doing something good for my baby and the Earth.

More info on the company.

Here is Caio sporting one of their diapers. I case you are wondering, Caio is wearing a couture, shot-sleeved, white top with snaps on the bottom. The top is the latest design from Tarje.

A Little Change

After having my little bundle of joy, I have been antsy for a change. I wanted something fun and different but not permanent.

 

After ruminating over a few ideas, I decided that a great haircut would be the best option. 

 

This Saturday I got a great haircut and dye job. I am now a blond with a little purple. Purple!?! Yes, I wanted something a little different, remember? 

I 'm not crazy about the purple on my bangs but am going to rock it until I need a touch up. When the time comes, I'll dye the purple blond, or I may even go back to my natural color. 

Well-dressed Men and Slut Walks

This morning, while out in my daily walk with Caio, a well dressed and very fragrant Middle Eastern man greeted me. Instantly, the smell of his cologne and fabulous dress shoes reminded me why I love foreign men. There is something about their fashion sense that makes me want to stop, stare, and admire. They don't simply match their top to their bottom; they also make sure their dress shoes match their belt. I love it! Really, there is nothing more sexy than a well-dressed man with a matching belt :)

Since I'm on the topic of clothing, hubby recently told me about Slut Walk. Though the name is a little shocking, it is a feminist movement that calls attention to the rights of women who have been a victim of a sexual assault. Apparently, a cop suggested that in order to prevent sexual assaults, women should not dress like "sluts." Really, what was he thinking? Well, the movement is growing and now there are Slut Walks all over the world. Here is more info on the movement.

Ahhhh! The blogger site and iPad are not very compatible. The site will not let me upload photos from my iPad :( which is too bad since I have a great photo of a guy with matching shoes and belt.

Condensed Milk Addiction

I recently decided to end my four year relationship with condensed milk. It was not easy but it had to be done.

For four years, I have enjoyed a bowl of fruits with nuts/granola and a spoon full of condensed milk. Yes, it sounds healthy, but recently the spoon full of CM turned into two or three spoons and I began to feen for it (Here is a video that illustrates how I feel). My addiction became apparent Sunday night when I dipped a spoon into a can of CM, closed my eyes, and gobbled it down. Instantly, an image came to mind.  I saw myself being ambushed by my family and friends in an episode of Intervention, Ahhh!

I am now CM free and have been for four days. I feel great and an hoping to lose the pregnancy weight a little faster. But like Jenifer Lopes I can't be out of a relationship for too long. My new love and rebound is a tasty Starbuck's scone. Let's see how long this relationship will last.

Update: My abstinence from CM did not last. Yesterday, I opened a can of CM and enjoyed my favorite treat. This is going to be harder than I though and now I know why hubby says that "even s*^% tastes good with condensed milk."

Mission Nigh Nigh is Working

Good Night, baby

Shhhhh,  don't tell anyone, but Caio, my two-month-old, slept from 11 pm to 5:30 am. I hope I'm not jinxing things but I'm so happy that I need to share the news!

For the past two months, I have been waking up every two to three hours to breastfeed my little munchkin. While I love the idea of breastfeeding, I am beyond tired. And while I try to sleep during the day, Caio keeps me up with his cute but non-stop grunts and shifting. Exhausted but singing a very hopeful song, I decided to move him to his room at night. Slowly but surely the move helped :). We are now sleeping so much better and I am dancing to a new tune!

"Boa noite gente"

Nigh Nigh Mission

 I know that my blog entries have stopped but this baby thing is kicking my butt. Actually, the lack of sleep is kicking my butt.

Yesterday, we attended Caio's one month check up. I showed up with high hopes since I suspected Caio to weigh more than 10 pounds. Let me explain. I once read that once a baby weighs more than 10 lbs, he/she can go the night without feedings, so logically I was thrilled to hear that he is slightly above 10 lbs. In learning the news, I began to make plans of how I would help Caio sleep through the night. Well, the doc had a differ view. Though she agrees that  he can now sleep through the night, she believes that I should feed him on demand and that he will slowly adjust on his own. She also went on to say that babies begin to sleep through the night between their 4th to 8th month and that I should be patient. After 8 months, if he is not sleeping through the night, we are to intervene. 8 months! Is she out of her mind?! I'm a working mom. I can't go 8 months without a decent night of sleep. I become extremely cranky and bitch when I'm tired and hungry. Without sleep, I am capable of killing or driving those around me crazy. I can picture myself now saying, "No, your Honor. I plead not guilty due to temporary insanity."

Slightly frustrated by the doc's comments, I decided to "help" Caio sleep through the night as I did with my daughter. Calling this the Nigh Nigh mission, I devised a plan of action. For the first few nights, I will no longer wake Caio up for a feeding--those days are long gone! I will feed him when he asks for it as recommended by the doctor. Next, hubby and I will put him to bed by 10 pm. We began doing this last week and it has been going well. I will also move Caio's bassinet away from my bed. After having kids, I became a light sleeper. Any little noise wakes me up, so when Caio grunts or moves in his sleep I immediately wake up. By moving him, I'm hoping that I will sleep better and that I will disrupt his sleep less. There will also be no talking during the night. I want Caio to understand that night time is sleep/quiet time; it is not play time with mommy. Finally, I am using the French wait method (this comes from the book Bringing up Bebe). When Caio grunts or moves at night, I am going to wait a little before picking him up. Hopefully, this will help him learn to fall asleep by himself and not with my assistance. With my plan in action, I'm hoping that he will sleep through the night by his 2 month check up. Wish me luck!

Other side effects of a sleepless night: I have noticed that I look much older. Perhaps it's the dark circles under my eyes or my tired expression...regardless, I look older and that needs to change. Here is a before and after picture of me.

Before sleep                                                                                                            After sleep

Research on Brazilian-style Rice

Unlocking the secrets to Brazilian style rice

I know this sounds silly, but let me explain. For years, I have tried to make Brazilian-style rice. I would add a tablespoon of oil, 1 cup of rice, and 2 cups of hot water. But my rice was always sticky and never resembled the loose and glistening rice I often enjoy at friends' home or at Brazilian restaurants. Frustrated and determined to know the secret, I began my research. I started noticing preparation strategies, ingredients, tools, and variations of the dish I love so much (Note that I don't really like rice, but am more than happy eating a plate of pure Brazilian-style rice. It's something about the texture and flavor that keeps me coming back for more).

I've come to the conclusion that it's all in the oil or I should say the amount used. The 1 or 2 tablespoons mentioned in cookbooks really isn't enough. From my observations, one needs to cover the bottom on the pot with oil. It gets better! Once the oil is hot, add chopped garlic and/or onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Next, mix Jasmine rice with the ingredients; make sure to coat the rice with the oil. After a few minutes add water. This is where noted rice makers disagree. Some believe that the water must be hot before adding it to the pot. Others are comfortable using room temp water. Conclude by adding salt and pepper and bringing the water to a boil. Once the water begins to boil, lower heat and let it cook for 15-20 minutes.

Whenever I make sticky rice, hubby usually  says, "united we will win/succeed." Apparently, it's a common saying and an indirect insult if someone says this about your rice. 

Note that my research is all theoretical. Once I overcome my fear of coating the bottom of the pot with oil, I will begin empirical research. Wish me luck!

Tough Decision

Recently, I wrote about circumcisions. After the birth of my son, the doctor asked if we were planning on going through with the procedure. Since hubby preferred not to have our son C. and I knew very little about the benefits and disadvantages of the procedure, I left it alone. Actually, I just can't bring myself to watch or participate in the process. I couldn't bring myself to have my daughter's ears pierced let alone C. my little boy. I know, I'm a wimp!

Still curious about the process, my sister emailed me info on the benefits. Let me sidetrack and tell you that I have the best sister ever (I hope she reads this!). Really, of the three Juqueira kids, my sister has the biggest heart and is surprisingly resourceful. In a matter of minutes, she can tell you the best car to buy, provide feedback on a shitty easy, and plan a great family trip. Needless to say, she sent me info on the benefits of C. Here are her findings:

Here’s are some interesting facts related to the benefits of circumcision from a WebMD article: In studies published in the past decade, the removal of the foreskin provided a 50% reduction in HIV transmission, a threefold reduction in human papillomavirus (HPV) infections in female partners of circumcised men (HPV can cause cervical cancer), and lower rates of syphilis and chlamydia, which causes sterility and is the main sexually transmitted disease among teenagers. Circumcised infants were also roughly 10 times less likely to suffer urinary tract infections and the high fevers associated with them. And circumcision virtually eliminates serious penile cancers, which invade about 1 in 100,000 uncircumcised men. The evidence from Africa of circumcision’s potential role in AIDS prevention led the New York City Health Department in April to begin considering outreach programs to promote circumcision among gay adult men and drug addicts.

Baby Boy

New baby boy

The nine month wait is finally over. My baby boy was born on Easter, April 8th, after 17 hours of labor!

Baby and mom:

Aquarela Kids Above:

Throughout the preg, I opted not to know the sex of the baby. Since knowing but not allowed to talk about it was too much pressure, hubby also decided not to know the sex of the baby.

We would have been more than happy with either sex, but the idea of having a little boy and girl, a couple, was top on our list. Needless to say, we were and are thrilled to have a little boy. He is going to learn how to dance with mom and will become a soccer-fan-cake-baking little boy with dad!

Baby and Dad:

While at the hospital, we were given the option to circumcise him. To be honest, I know little of the benefits or disadvantages associated with the procedure, but hubby felt no need to go through with it. After a little research, I discovered that C is on the decline in the U.S. Excluding cultural or religious reasons, parents and doctors see little benefits to it.

After asking around, a friend sent me this video on circumcisions. It's a little long and graphic but informative.