Smallfrys™ from Build-A-Bear Workshop - Big Fun Come In Small Sizes!

My Pawsome friends at Build-A-Bear Workshop is coming up with another cuddly treat! They're introducing a new brand of furry fun that comes in small sizes but definitely BIG in FUN! Presenting the Limited Edition Build-A-Bear Smallfrys™!

I had the privilege of previewing this new line of product during the recent Build-A-Bear Conference, June of this year but never knew how fun it was to actually own one! I got Pedro { that's Peter in English and that's what I named him } today in the mail. As soon as I opened the box, I literally fell in love with him! And yes, I'm not ashamed to admit that at my age { no, I won't reveal }, I acted like a little girl when I saw it! Well, just look at him - Isn't he SO CUTE!!! 

Exploring the Zhuniverse World at Toys R Us

Our cute furry friends at Zhuniverse stopped in Charlotte to give us Charlottean a taste of their exciting world through interactive fun and games with life-sized replicas of their habit trail for some real-life exploration and adventure! And for anyone who love these adorable hamsters, you know F.U.N. is what they're made of!

 @MaricrisG @Mommiecooks @TowandaL

Back to School Woes: New NC State Board of Education Policy is Ridiculous!

So, school started today and try as I might, my mind still could not come to terms with the fact that my little girl is now in grade school! Add the thought of tons of paperworks, assignments and what nots into the equation and what you get is one delirious mama!

Driven to epileptic anger by the note that we got from her teacher {from the school} today. If you're a mom with a child in school in NC you need to read this.

Bringing back the Joy with SoyJoy

Do you know the song that goes like this? "J.O.Y. down in my heart. Deep deep down in my heart!" Well, no, I'm not going to sing trust me but this is how I felt when I ended up deciding to attend the SoyJoy Breakfast event on my last day in NYC {in spite of my inner self insisting I shouldn't}. After all, It was my last day in the city, I should be out frolicking and enjoying the sights, right?

But you know me, anything that spells blogging, my name is plastered all over it. So I went. And am I so glad I did! It was the complete opposite of Martha Stewart {not so} Blogger's Night out Party. SoyJoy definitely get. it. 

The {Not so} Bloggers Night out with Martha Stewart

I never really asked for much going to Blogher this year besides the chance to experience it and simply enjoy NYC { just because I've never been to NYC} however, I got more than what I asked for. 

Discovering Blogher - Lessons Learned - Recap Part II

Finally seeing and experiencing Blogher for the first time is a dream come true for me! Definitely filled with more adventure and excitement beyond what I imagined it to be!

Blogher is the ultimate HUGE! All the other conferences I've been to paled in comparison. It's like going to THE big city. It's crowded, loud and noisy, fast-paced, yet teeming with life, endless opportunities and fun! There's just so much to see and so much to learn. But there's a caveat: without a solid plan and strategic goal, it is easy to lose perspective and any perfectly thought-out plan can quickly get undermined by the slew of activity that surrounds the conference. Like going to the supermarket without a grocery list - you end up buying on impulse and blowing up your budget! 

Destination NC: A Taste of Latino Culture in the Carolinas

My background and culture is influenced by Spanish heritage - even my name is Spanish - but I'm Asian, go figure! This goes without saying that the presence of Latino culture in the Carolinas somehow reminds me of home. Not just the food or the culture but the essence of a life once lived in a far away land...

Plaza Fiesta since it's reinvention has become the convergence zone for all Latino community in the surrounding area in the Southwest side of Charlotte NC. Once you enter those mall doors, you immediately get transported to a land somewhere in Latin America with its' cobblestone paved halls and small shops akin of small villages! On my second visit this Sunday to get a taste of my authentic Mexican food cravings, I was, again, surprised to see a celebration of life and culture. Just like my first visit, it never fails to entertain not only my palate but my soul... Watch the video and take a peek of what it's like...

Sundays are the best day to visit.

One of the many reasons to love Charlotte, North Carolina. Ole!

You're Invited to a Virtual Baby Shower - Win Prizes!

What's the best thing you can do for a girlfriend who is pregnant?

For me, it's those wonderful baby showers! The gathering of friends to show how much we care not just for the expecting mom but to her precious one as well! To be a part of a woman's journey to motherhood is always a blessing to behold... One that which I was once blessed to have when I have my little one 6 years ago.
 
And so, ZensibleMama.com is proud to co-host A Mom Is Born: The Virtual Baby Shower Celebrating a Woman’s Journey into Motherhood in partnership with KMOV TV on it's secondth year! Scheduled for Wednesday, August 25 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST. This year's celebrant is Virginia Kerr, the anchor on Channel 4’s early news show, Awake. The Virtual Shower will help support the March of Dimes and to show how women can transition into motherhood with the support of friends and family.

So This Is Blogher? - Initial Reaction - Recap Part I

And so Blogher finally came...

I went to Blogher empty { just like my wallet! } - empty like a cup. No clue what it's like. No set expectations. Just waiting to get my own fill. My tiniest inkling of what it's like were mere second-hand rantings and ravings from women who are forever intoxicated by the addictive bite of Blogher! { Pardon the vampire jargons but it is what it is }. Women I will simply call Blogher Mistresses. They live and breathe Blogher! They were there since the beginning... like cult followers. What got them hooked? I need to know!

Flying the NOT-So-Friendly Skies

After 4 days of intense noise { my ears are still shot to this day } and running around like a mad mom at Blogher in NY, going home was such a welcomed idea. Though I would have  loved to see more of New York { hey it is NEW YORK } my sorry wallet and my sore body begged to differ. So home it is and fast!

Good bye NY!

Not with La Guardia Airport I later discovered. Check the video I took below while we were stuck in the runway. Maybe you can count planes along with me while we wait, yes?

Off to NY to Make Lasting Memories

Tomorrow is the big day! I'm in FULL double-check-triple check mode tonight. This is one trip I don't want to mess up by FORGETTING the most important stuffs. I've had those times and they're not really pretty. This time, I'm making sure I'm NOT forgetting my phone charger again just like last time in another conference!

And since this is not only my first time at Blogher but also in NY, I need to make sure my mini-vacation and first taste of NY and Blogher is one that I'll cherish forever.

Watch this video and see what important last minute items I'm making sure I have for Blogher and how Kodak is helping me preserve my great memories for a lifetime!





Check my Channel to see more Zensible Mama videos. I invite you to subscribe as well. See you at Blogher!



**Kodak provided the product as part of the Kodak Bus Tour in NY **

Why Getting { too many } Invites at Blogher is Pure Torture

As weeks got closer to Blogher, tons of invites from famous companies and brands started to flood my inbox! Like deranged Paparazzis determined to get me. Truly made me feel like a true celebrity! Happy yet crappy in the inside. Say, like Lyndsey Lohan perhaps? But I love each and every invite I get. I actually wish for more! Every one of them does wonders for my altered ego and I do teem with pride for myself like a puffed-up blowfish. Yes, they make me feel special. Most of these invites are from brands I would truly love to connect and work with.

Afterall, this is my first time at Blogher and to get this many invite is already an achievement by itself. Did I say, I was fabulous?