As Hurricane Harvey continues to dump massive amounts of rain on the Houston area, I wanted to update our family and friends of our status. We are safe, blessed to have power, and doing well. We narrowly escaped a tornado on Saturday afternoon and awoke to flooded streets this morning. So many Houstonians, however, are being forced to evacuate their homes because of rising flood waters or are enduring these terrible conditions without power or food.

Liam was scheduled to start kindergarten today but Cy-Fair ISD and most school districts in the area, including mine, have cancelled school through the Labor Day holiday. Last night as I tucked him in, he expressed great disappointment about not being able to start school. This morning instead of walking him down the hallway to his new classroom, Liam and I ventured out in our rain boots to assess the water conditions. The streets in our neighborhood are flooded but larger vehicles can pass through with caution. Sean and I recognize, though, that getting out of the neighborhood would be incredibly difficult with all of the rainfall we’ve had in the last 48 hours.

Like so many other residents in the area, we will ride it out; hopeful the rain subsides soon. The evolution of this waiting game wavers back and forth between patience and stir crazy. Being rained in, however, does come with plentiful opportunities for family bonding through play and conversation.

I continue to pray for those who are most in need. The men, women, and children whose entire world has been turned upside down by Harvey. In the coming days, this storm will continue to test our limits. Please keep everyone affected in your thoughts.

Growing up in a coastal community in South Texas, I am no stranger to hurricanes. Oftentimes, my dad boarded up the windows around the house, and we hunkered down to ride the storm out. There was always a steady supply of bread, peanut butter, and pretzels along with a wide array of board games and library books.

Sometimes the forecasted hurricane conditions looked too bleak, and my mother, brother, and I would head north destined for San Antonio to ride out the storm there. My dad always stayed behind with my uncle and grandfather to make sure the shrimp boats made it in safely and were secured for the storm.

My mom fondly reminds my brother and I, from time to time, about how we were convinced we could safely ride out an approaching hurricane in a giant cardboard box my father had in the garage. Obviously we were too young to know any better back then!

More recent hurricanes that stand out the most vividly in my mind include Katrina, Dolly, and Ike. Katrina devastated New Orleans in August of 2005. It was the summer after college graduation, and I was in Las Vegas at an apparel trade show. I remember watching the footage from the hotel lobby. My heart breaking as the conditions intensified for the residents of Nola.

Hurricane Dolly ravaged the Rio Grande Valley in July of 2008. This storm brought torrential rain, wind, and power outages that lasted over a week. I braved the storm at my apartment in Harlingen with my roommate, Beatriz. I never realized how much I took coffee, a hot shower, and air conditioning for granted. Hurricane Dolly and my mother both shared the same namesake; tocayas in Spanish. Her name was the brunt of many jokes among our family and friends as she wreaked havoc on South Texas.

Then in September of 2008, Ike blazed through Houston and left many of the coastal areas in disarray. While Houstonians braced for the worst, my friends and I paddled out into the Gulf of Mexico on our surfboards. In Texas, summer waves are typically pretty small. However, coastal areas south of a hurricane often create ideal surfing conditions. Hurricane Ike definitely provided local surfers epic waves that easily towered over eight feet high.

Now over ten years later, I’m facing a new hurricane, Harvey. Thursday after work, I braved H-E-B to ensure we had all the essentials to brave the storm. I was amazed to discover many of the foods the store had already sold out of my 4:00 in the afternoon including bananas and milk. Thankfully I managed to find a cartful of non-perishable food items including bread, water, cashews, mandarin oranges, Granny Smith apples, tomatoes, baby food, diapers, soup, and beef jerky.

Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Corpus Christi this morning and many of our Texan neighbors in the surrounding areas will need assistance as they recover from the storm. The storm is predicted to bring large amounts of rain to the Houston area in the coming days. I am hopeful the rain will stall and have a far less significant impact on the area than originally predicted. In the meantime, I am hunkered down with my family waiting for the storm to pass again. I’m praying that my storied past with hurricanes ends on a high note with everyone around me safe and sound.

 

My Sunday morning started off like clockwork. Atticus started stirring around 6:00 a.m., so I tiptoed out of the room mindful that Sean was still sleeping. Because it was a Sunday morning, I decided to see if we could get a little more sleep after he nursed. So as I walked into the nursery, I made no noise and left the lights out as I cradled Atticus in my arms. He nodded off easily after about 15 minutes of nursing, and I laid him quietly back in his crib and tucked myself into the guest bed in the nursery for a little more shut eye.

We both managed about an hour of sleep before he woke up again, ready to take on the day. I enjoyed a cup of coffee as he played with baby animals on the nursery floor. My matte silver Rtic coffee tumbler became a source of interest for Atticus as I sipped my coffee so he spent a good part of the time trying to climb over my legs to reach it.

When Sean awoke, he joined us in the nursery and more giggles, climbing, and baby smiles ensued. A little after 8:00 we decided to take the party upstairs and wake Liam up with some family cuddles. Laughter and delight continued until out stomachs signaled it was time to think about breakfast.

Liam and I enjoyed a donut date at Shipley’s while Sean and Atticus spent some quality time at home playing the piano. After sharing a few donut holes and our own selections (a chocolate cinnamon twist for Liam and an old fashioned cinnamon roll for me), we zipped through Target for some supplies I needed for a few students. We also grabbed a Starbucks machiatto for Sean on the way out.

Back at home, Atticus settled into a nap, and Sean and Liam put up superhero posters using a level with a laser. Liam was especially mesmerized by the red lines emitted all around his room. While the guys were upstairs, I took care of prepping everything for dinner. I chopped garlic, sliced onions, and grated sweet potatoes. I also knocked out a few loads of laundry and took care of my least favorite chore, ironing.

After Atticus woke up, the four of us ventured out to the Rainforest Cafe for an adventurous lunch filled with elephants, alligators, gorillas, and an array of other wild animals. Liam loved being his dad’s tour guide through the restaurant pointing out specific animals or features of the rainforest like the rainbow and starscape.

On the return trip home, Liam enjoyed watching Wall E on the car’s DVD player, a novelty of the new car. Once we arrived home it was quiet time for Liam and naptime again for little Atticus. Sean and I enjoyed some downtime with a quiet afternoon catching up.

Then it was time to prepare dinner and enjoy some quality time with the boys. Liam serenaded me with his harmonica while wearing his special eyewear for eye protection. After all, you never know what kind of hazards you might encounter while playing a musical instrument! Atticus enjoyed bouncing along to Latin music, and I snuck in a few dance moves in between sautéing dinner. Liam shifted gears from music to athletic pursuits, running back and forth between the pantry door and the couch practicing his straddles for gymnastics.

Soon dinner was ready, and Sean returned home from the gym in time for us to enjoy a family dinner. After savoring our sweet potato hash, I cleaned the kitchen and prepped my lunch for work. Then Liam ran upstairs to take a shower, and it was time for Atticus to have a bath. Atticus snuck in a little playtime before bed enjoying the music and movement of his mobile. After nursing Atticus and laying him down in his crib for the night, I laced up my running shoes for my evening run. Before heading out, I ran upstairs to give hugs and wish Liam a goodnight.

On my evening run, I enjoyed a beautiful sunset, passed a family of ducks swimming in one of the lakes, and enjoyed the quietest part of my day reflecting on what a blessed Sunday it had been with my family. After my run, I showered, laid out my clothes for work, and settled into an episode of Breaking Bad with Sean. If I had to replay by day again, I would want it to play out exactly as it did. This day in the life of a Mama Bear was absolute perfection!

Good morning! This is a Public Service Announcement for all of the Negative Nancies of the world. Today is a glorious Friday, and you absolutely will not rain on my parade! It is the final day of a very hectic work week; and when the last bell rings signaling the end of the school day, my weekend officially starts.

So please take your frothy disdain for policies and procedures, your disparaging remarks for most of your coworkers, and your general unhappiness and kindly flush it down the loo. I am only accepting positive vibes today because quite frankly I’ve heard enough of your negativity this week to last a lifetime.

My morning started with a lovely cup of coffee, bear hugs and kisses from my spouse and children, and the most amazing sunrise. I am blessed to have another day of life with the people I love, and I refuse to let your negative disposition cloud my day.

Carefully consider the aforementioned positive affirmations. Slowly let them marinate in your mind and permeate into your heart. You, Nancy, can choose to start today with a grateful heart and choose positivity, or you can continue wallowing in your own negativity. Either way, I don’t have room for your pessimism because there are too many beautiful things in this life to celebrate, savor, and relish in. So for the record, today and every day, positive vibes only, please!

Now that school’s back in session, there is undoubtedly more on my plate. Tuesdays are my long day because we close out the workday with our weekly faculty meeting. By the time the boys and I pulled into the garage yesterday evening, it was already 5:30. Thankfully the more elaborate meals I prepare on the weekends make great leftovers, and last night’s meal definitely were “nacho” average leftovers.

H-E-B is my go-to grocery store for all things food related, and I have discovered that some of their pre-made items can be absolute time savers. One of my favorite “in a pinch”  staples are their fully cooked pork carnitas. The meat is tender, savory, and an easy add in for enchiladas, street tacos, and last night’s fare, nachos.

I originally prepared this meal on Sunday evening. First sauteing sweet onion in a skillet with some olive oil. After nuking the carnitas as per the instructions on the package, I added them to the onion and lowered the temperature to low to keep them warm. In a separate pan, I sauted jalapeno slices, letting them fry in the olive oil until they were charred. This has proven to be a great add on that delivers just the right amount of heat.

 

While the jalapenos were cooking, I prepared fresh avocado and cilantro for toppings and prepared the queso. Velveeta now markets “Mini Blocks”. These little gems are great for a quick queso fix without worrying about an entire brick spoiling. I used one brick and half a can of Rotel with the liquid. It made enough cheese for drizzling over the nachos on Sunday and again last night with nothing wasted.

My sister-in-law recently introduced me to Julio’s tortilla chips. These chips are lightly coated in a seasoning blend that is an ideal compliment to Tex Mex cuisine. They serve as the perfect base for my loaded nachos.

The final product is a beautiful marriage of savory pork, crunchy chips, creamy avocado, zesty queso, and a sprinkle of cilantro for color. It’s nothing short of delicious, and it’s a quick and easy dinner ready in a matter of minutes.

And judging from the smile on Liam’s face, it’s “nacho” average leftovers either. Buen provecho!

Entering my 11th year in education, you’d think by now my nerves on the first day of school would subside. But yesterday marked the beginning of a new school year, and like clockwork my stomach was in knots.

As I drove to work, I received two very encouraging text messages from both my mom and my husband.

Mom: “God be with you on your first day of the new school year! May He guide you to do the best of your ability to assist others.”

Sean: “I hope you have a great first day! I know you have already been back at it, but since those kids love you so much, I know that today will be busy for you. I love you.”

I found myself both touched and grateful for their kind and uplifting words. Professionally, it’s part of my job description to be a cheerleader for all of my students. To encourage them to do their best and reach their full potential. In my personal life, I am equally blessed to have my own cheerleaders in life. The individuals who love me, challenge me, and believe in my abilities to be my absolute best.

So today’s post is an homage to my three biggest advocates in life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for always offering me a shoulder to cry on, a high-five to celebrate a success, and smile to show you care.

Mom, thank you for leading by example and always believing in me even when my ideas seemed too far-fetched. You truly are a shining example of the kind of woman, mother, and person I aspire to be like every day. No one in life has ever been a bigger cheerleader than you. From rainy cross-country meets to the birth of my first child, you continue to lift me up when I need it the most. With heartfelt gratitude, mil gracias!

Sean, you are my rock, and you challenge me to be my best self everyday. You encouraged me to go back to graduate school to complete the coursework necessary to become a LPC and cheered me on every step of the way even when juggling it all proved to be taxing on our relationship. Thank you for believing in my abilities to co-parent with you even when I doubted myself sometimes. From the very beginning, first with Liam and now with Atticus, thank you for always praising me for being such a good mom. You may never truly understand the power and influence those words have on me every day. I love you with my whole heart and am grateful to have you in my life.

Anna, thank you for being the absolute best friend anyone could ask for. Few people in life are lucky enough to have lifelong friends, and you’ve been with me from the very beginning. From playdates, to wedding dates, and the birth dates of our children, our friendship has stood the test of time. You have encouraged and supported me through some of my highest and lowest points in life. I don’t know where I’d be today without your wit, sincerity, and friendship. I look forward to all that life has in store for us as friends. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll make that cross-country road trip in our RV when we’re old and gray like we talked about when we were in grade school. I couldn’t love you more even if you were my sister.

To the cheerleaders in all of our lives, thank you for waving your pom-poms, shouting our praises, and rooting for us every step of the way. #blessed

Most nights after Atticus nods off for the evening, I lace up my running shoes and hit the pavement. Typically at this time of the day, the sun is slowly starting to set. A bright orange glow of beauty positioned perfectly at eye level. So to counter potential blindness, I’ve turned my evening run into a game of sorts. A game I fondly refer to as “Outrunning the Sun.”

Our neighborhood offers a wealth of options for running including gravel trails, well-paved sidewalks, and a winding asphalt pedestrian road that cuts through the heart of the community. Every night when I set out, my route is a blank slate waiting for me to etch out the miles as I see fit. I weave in and out of the shade always trying to keep the sun at my back.

In these moments of switchbacks and zig zags, I find myself lost in the beauty all around me. I am often in awe of the sun’s reflection on one of the numerous lakes in the neighborhood; admiring how the deep orange color on the quiet lake resembles the stained glass windows of a church.  Other times, I am mesmerized by the cloud patterns overhead as the sun’s rays break through with the radiance of heaven.

Outrunning the sun has taken on a deeper meaning for me as this game has gone on for almost eight months now; a game that began shortly after Atticus was born. It’s my time to lose myself in thought, in nature, and in solitude. Quiet moments for reflection, after all, are rare for a mother of two with a house full of responsibilities always waiting in the wings.

My run usually concludes just as the sun has dipped below the horizon signaling the end of daylight and the conclusion of another busy day. Drenched in sweat, cheeks bright red and flushed, I smile to myself knowing that tomorrow evening I get to do it all over again.

The psyche of a Mama Bear mentality can be downright exhausting. Pushing the boundaries in every facet of life while trying to balance the world on your shoulders is no easy feat. I’m guilty of carrying this Mama Bear mentality with me day in and day out- worrying about everyone else around me but often neglecting to remember myself.

In counseling, we always stress the importance of self-care. Taking care of yourself first so that you have the physical, mental, and emotional ability to take care of those who need you most. Most of the time, I have this part backwards. At home, I worry about my baby bears and meeting their every need. Are they loved, clothed, fed, bathed, happy….? At work, all of my energy goes into the needs of my students, teachers, parents, and principal.

In life, there’s always someone or something who needs my attention and time. Is the laundry washed and folded? Is there food in the refrigerator? Did I lay out Liam’s clothes for tomorrow? Are the dishes washed and put away? Did I respond to all of my emails at work? Is my husband getting enough quality time with me? Is there, did I, have I…

I know I’m not the only Mama Bear walking this tight-rope called life. We’re all doing the absolute best we can, but yet we never seem to give ourselves enough credit for making the world around us better every single day in so many amazing ways. So today when you look in the mirror, beam with pride as you admire your Mama Bear badge with pride and honor. You are beautiful! You are amazing! You make the little people in your lives feel loved!

When you look in the mirror, also pause for a minute to reflect on what you’ve done for yourself today. If you haven’t made time for you, give yourself permission to indulge in even the smallest pleasantry like a cup of coffee, a piece of dark chocolate, or a walk around the block. You do amazing things everyday because you put your family, friends, and coworkers first. But today, take a minute to honor the person holding it all together- YOU!

Motherhood can sometimes feel like a thankless job, but we do it because servanthood and selflessness are a part of the job description. The joy of touching the lives of those who matter the most to us is the fuel that propels us forward. To the Mama Bear in all of us, keep up the good work.

Most Fridays the adage, “TGIF” is my mantra, and today is no exception. After my first week back at work, I’m mentally and physically ready for the reprieve that comes with a weekend. We typically don’t have anything out of the ordinary planned, but I always look forward to the simplicity of our Saturdays and Sundays.

Weekends are sacred because they do not require setting an alarm. Granted our baby bears have their own internal alarm clocks and still rise rather early. Because alarms usually signal the hustle and bustle of the work week morning routine, I enjoy easing into my morning even if it’s early. Hair, makeup, and professional dress are gladly exchanged for bed head, pajamas, and sweet bear hugs.

When we do venture out of the house on Saturday mornings, it’s for our weekly family coffee date at our favorite coffee shop, Land of a Thousand Hills. It’s the one day of the week I indulge in specialty coffee. This tradition started shortly after Atticus was born so we could enjoy a family outing that wasn’t too far from home. After nearly nine months of Saturdays, we’ve achieved the ultimate in coffee patronage, we’re regulars! When we walk in now, the barista greets us with, “Good morning. A large caraminilla and a decaf honey bunny. Both extra hot.” It’s music to my ears!

I absolutely love cooking elaborate meals for my family, and the weekends always offer more opportunities for prepping and orchestrating an elaborate spread. Most Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays we enjoy family dinners together. As I cook, Sean and I enjoy a glass of wine as the boys play around us. We usually cue up a fun Spotify playlist to accompany dinner. Most of the time, my musical selections match the cuisine of the evening, i.e. salsa music and enchiladas.

Weekends always offer nap time and “quiet time” opportunities. Atticus still takes a morning and afternoon nap, and Liam always has quiet time in the afternoon- quiet, playtime reserved for only him in his bedroom. These quieter moments in the house sometimes equal nap time for Sean and I or at least a low key opportunity to catch up on shows. There is nothing more relaxing than laying in bed on a Saturday afternoon binge watching something on Netflix.

And finally, no weekend would be complete without wine. I usually abstain from drinking during the week, so come Friday I am more than ready for a glass of vino. In the evenings, after the boys are in bed, Sean and I enjoy wine and conversation. It is undoubtedly one of my favorite highlights of the weekend. Shopping for wine has become a bit of a novelty for me. Every week I peruse the wine aisles while grocery shopping at H-E-B looking at what affordable wines they’re showcasing; often taking advantage of their special offers. We both love reds, especially Merlots, Pinot Noirs, and Cabs, so these are the bottles that traditionally end up in my cart. Opening up a new bottle and discovering something we really like makes this indulgence that much more enjoyable.

So here’s to the slower paced, unplanned joys that each weekend brings. Wishing you and yours a beautiful one!