Life by Cynthia

Thank goodness for Thanksgiving break. My little guy got sick right before his break and missed a couple of days of school. We have a little bit of school work to make up but I am so glad that he is feeling much better now and that he is very excited for the holidays. I myself have been a bit run down, but I too am looking forward to some quality family time. Tonight was a GREAT night. With the help of Betty Crocker Cookie Mix , my little boy baked cookies for me instead of the other way around! Our plan was to bake a batch (or two) of cookies then set up our Christmas Tree. Our son has been asking relentlessly to set up and decorate our tree! He fell asleep before the cookies cooled... so we will save the decorations for tomorrow! This tuckered out child baked his first batch of cookies. Before I share our baking experience, I must ask: What are your all time favorite cookies ? Or are you like me and have an appreciation for any and all cookies? As long as it is fresh from...

The weather is getting cooler and the excitement of the upcoming holiday season is building at our house! What may start off as a cool morning can quickly turn into a quite warm afternoon here in San Diego. Once the sun sets, the temperature can dip down just as fast. My simple fix: layers. I found a simple solution that is stylish and comfortable . Enter Cuddl Duds! I found my Cuddl Duds at Kohl's. I now have added quite a bit to my collection! So far, I am the happy owner of a long sleeve crewneck top, a long sleeved v-neck top, leggings, a hooded wrap, and Cuddl Duds socks! I really took advantage of the opportunity to stock up! Kohl's was having a sale AND I had a coupon! Check out my go-to Cuddl Duds staple! I am loving this Cuddl Duds Fleecewear with Stretch Hooded Wrap . The material is soft and warm. It is one of the coziest pieces that I have. Bonus: it has thumbholes, hand pockets, and it is hooded. Not to mention that it goes with anything and everything. ...

I recently shopped at Kohl's and fell for Cuddl Duds separates. There are so many styles and color choices to choose from. I wasn't the only Kohl's customer to discover this as they were sold out of my size in styles that I wanted. I did score a few great items and I will be back to Kohl's for more! I needed to jazz up my "ready-to-go" wear arsenal with some colors, patterns, and prints.  Cuddl Duds delivers. I found the Women's Red Multi Stripe Crew Neck Top in  Cuddl Duds Softwear with Stretch and it is PERFECT for our on-the-go/impromptu jaunts around San Diego! On a recent Sunday afternoon we were invited to celebrate our nephew's birthday. After the lunchtime celebration we stuck around to explore the area. Of course, snapped a few photos. As you can see, I have a young son. He's a pretty active kid and I always find the need to keep up! Being comfortable and able to play is a must! It is nice not to have to fuss over what to...

One of our son's responsibilities is to bring the mail in. I don't know about you, but we have already received toy catalogs from retailers. The toy catalog did not go unnoticed. Perhaps I should re-think his chore chart so that I can intercept the mail! I'm kidding. I am glad that he is excited about the upcoming holiday season. It gives me a nostalgic feeling of my own childhood. I can clearly remember my excitement looking at all of the toys! Our son has a good grasp on the meaning of the season and isn't at all a spoiled or demanding child. We are so thankful for that - trust me! I know a couple of kiddos that haven't quite learned the difference between naughty and nice! Retail pricing is not something that I am a not fan of so I like to look for deals! I was browsing on Groupon Goods and found a few fantastic holiday gift ideas that I think that our son would enjoy and that I would LOVE for him to have! They have quite an extensive array of toy...

When sick gets real: which is worse? A sick kid missing a school day or a sick kid missing out on summer fun? Answer: BOTH! Whether you are a kid or an adult, being sick sucks. VERY soon school will be out for the summer! We are very excited even though we don't have much of a game plan set. We are winging it. Our plan: no stress and have as much FUN as we can. One thing is for sure: being sick is not one of those things on our list! We want to enjoy every single day of summer break. Pfizer Consumer Healthcare sent over their Pediatric Platform products to have on hand if our kiddo gets sick. Honestly, we hope that we don't have to use them. Having them on hand does offer some peace of mind. When you are a mom and your child is sick, it is easily one of the WORST feelings in the world. We try our best to keep our little ones healthy. My toughest early mommy moments was when my tiny one had a cold or the flu. It didn't happen often, but when it did - it broke my hea...

This post in written in partnership with GigaSavvy. 2014 has gone by so quickly for us. Where did the time go? I'm sure that many of you feel the same! How will you celebrate the end of this year and the start of a new one? We are planning on spending ours at Knott's Berry Farm ! All the fun is ready for us so all that we have to do is show up! Knott’s has fun and safe options for families who want to ring in the New Year together.  Extended park hours (10 am to 1 am), live entertainment (FUN for ALL ages), and a fireworks display all included in the price of regular park admission! Check out the lineup here: Knott's NYE 2015 . Join us in ringing in the new year at the Knott's Berry Farm New Year's Eve Celebration !  Thanks to our friends at GigaSavvy and Knott's Berry Farm - one lucky reader will WIN 2 (two) FREE passes to attend the celebration! Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below and GOOD LUCK! Please use #KnottsNYE on any social posts ...

Giveaway has ended. Calling all athletes (and non athletes too)! I'm sure that most of you have heard about Core Power protein drinks and may have seen their booth at your local athletic event.  It may already be a part of your post recovery routine! If you don't participate in such events, you may have seen their logo at the recent Olympic Games. Core Power was named the “Official Protein Drink of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.” Core Power is a real-milk based sports recovery drink and contains natural whey and casein proteins found in milk - never removed from their original liquid state. Simple ingredients and great taste, without a chalky texture. Personally, I had not been a fan of protein drinks. Reason: the powdery taste and chalky texture. This product is different! Since powders aren't used, I didn't notice that weird aftertaste that normally kept me away from protein drinks. This product is made from fresh milk and real honey! Lactose intolera...

This post and giveaway is sponsored by Del Taco . On January 2, Del Taco introduced Turkey Tacos, making the company the first Mexican fast food chain to offer ground turkey as a protein option. Del Taco’s Turkey Tacos feature lean, seasoned ground turkey that has 33 percent less fat than its seasoned beef. Each Turkey Taco has only 150 calories.  Del Taco is also offering a Turkey CrunchTada Tostada, an extension of their popular CrunchTada product line.

This is a sponsored post for Whole Foods Market Encinitas. On a recent shopping trip we picked up a few items to make Curried Crab on Crackers . You all know that I work full time while juggling marriage and motherhood so meal planning and recipe creation is something that stumps me every time! Thanks to Whole Foods ~ they have a website FULL of wonderful (and simple) recipe ideas for drinks, appetizers, entrees, and MORE! It's a blessing for working moms like me! That's where I found this SIMPLE appetizer. They even have an option to order your ENTIRE holiday meal!!! I'm definitely using the Whole Foods Best Holiday Ever as my Cheat Sheet for stress free holiday entertaining! This appetizer may be making an appearance at my next holiday pot luck! Bonus: It is super easy to make and you can make it a day ahead! WIN! Curried Crab on Crackers : Creamy, delicately spiced and garnished with a red grape, this is a quick and festive, last-minute appetizer, but it...

Thanks to Lancôme and She Speaks I had the opportunity to try DreamTone by Lancôme. As recommended, I used the product twice a day (morning and evening) for a few weeks. I received my full sized bottle free of charge to participate in the challenge. You can purchase your own at Lancôme.com and at department stores nationwide. Lancôme DreamTone retails for $98 for a 1.3 fl oz. bottle. About Lancôme DreamTone : DreamTone is designed for dark spot correction. It is a customized skin tone correcting serum. The new DreamTone line is comprised of 3 barely-tinted serums formulated to visibly correct dark spots, color imperfections and give you a more even-looking skin tone. The serums are customized for your skin tone: 1- Fair, 2 – Medium, 3 – Dark. Post a selfie? ME? NEVER! I would have told you that you are CRAZY if you would even suggest that I post a naturally bare faced selfie! But I DID it, I posted my naked face on Instagram . I posted a picture of myself sans make...

This is post is sponsored by eMeals.com. Limited time offer:  Save 35% off Subscription  CODE: CYBER35 I was thrilled to partner with eMeals.com to find a solution for my menu planning dilemmas.  As you all may know by now - I work full time outside of the home and have been juggling career, marriage, and parenthood! Not to mention blogging when I can find a moment! As a 42 year old person with an active 3 year old little boy- this isn't easy for me! I'm no spring chicken! Super Woman I am NOT ! I do admire those that have mastered the Super Woman moves! I have been burning the candle at both ends for 3 years now and I STILL need all the help that I can get!  I haven't tried an online meal planning solution before but I will tell you that I am now on board with  eMeals and I am VERY excited about it! I'm so glad that eMeals is designed to help folks like me! Every week, a meal plan arrives in your inbox. You get seven dinner recipes that include an entr...

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and their client. We are very excited about Holiday season! It will be here sooner than you think! This time of the year calls for even more home cooked meals!  Great food and spending time with family and friends is something that we all look forward to.  We are all trying to eat healthier so we are cooking healthier. You can replace using butter and margarine in any recipe using Star's Conversion Chart. Olive Oil has no cholesterol or carbohydrates, and is one of the oils highest in monounsaturated fat which helps lower bad LDL cholesterol while maintaining good HDL cholesterol. It is also a good source of vitamin E. HEALTH BENEFITS • 100% natural • Carbohydrate and sodium free • Cholesterol and  gluten free • No trans fat • No added preservatives, flavoring or col...

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This post is sponsored by Collective Bias and NickMom. #Motherfunny #shop #cbias Three years into parenthood I have collected enough funny parenting moments to keep me sane.  I honestly don't know how moms survive without having a sense of humor. Laughter is the best medicine, so they say. A few mom cocktails can also help! I don't often indulge but every once in a while is fun!  Seriously ladies, please find the time to connect with your gal pals! The kiddos enjoy Nickelodeon during the day, but once they hit the sack check out NickMom ! Once upon a time a party with my girls involved getting dolled up and heading to our favorite dance club: GNO, woo-hoo! These days - all the partying that I can handle is plopping on the couch and chatting with my girls! Translation: GNI = Girls Night IN!  Well... 'night'  now must be in the daytime! Girls Day IN just doesn't sound as catchy! Of co...