Mindfulmess

Mindful Mama Boutique

Well hello there! I’ve been quite MIA, I suppose, so let me start with… I’m glad to be back!

Over the last few weeks, I have been adjusting. Adjusting to life; summer vacation, chores, always nesting (have been since week 7), home life, and the typical- what the heck is my body doing? Is my baby okay? Oh my gosh, I’m hungry. I’m too tired for today. So on and so on. And lastly… my own little boutique!?!

Where did I get this new idea?

It is no surprise to close family and friends. I am a do-er and I am a hustler if you will. However, this little side biz is coming from a special place in my heart!

I am over the moon excited and waiting for baby Elijah to be here. To start dressing him up and taking ALL the pictures of him. (Girl clothes are cuter but let’s not go down that road). I have been browsing Amazon, Etsy, and other pages, and I could not bring myself to buy some of these ADORABLE outfits etc. when I have the time to just make them myself.

It has also been a SUPER drag to find cute AND comfy maternity clothes. They are not easy to find in your average store and it costs an arm and a leg… thank the lord it’s summer time, because at this point, I’ll be sitting around the house naked… lol, just kidding. Kind of. But in all seriousness, I have now learned how to sew/make my own maternity shirts and leggings. The basics for sure, but nonetheless, I did it.

This all brought me to Mindful Mama Boutique. A small biz (with no overhead) where mamas can browse through what I offer but can also custom order items! I can create/customize cute and simple onesies, birth announcements, t-shirts, matching outfits, blankets, bibs, accessories, and more! I will also have items that don’t necessarily need customizing, they are JUST cute and must haves!

I am a lover of having all baby things simple and cute. Solid colors and cute writing. And I want mamas to be able to find themselves something nice too. This family loves sports, disney, and good music… so you’ll definitely see some of those cute items coming soon!

Please, please , give me feedback or ideas on what you want to see as a Mama, Nana, or Auntie! I want this to be your go-to spot when looking for something cute on a Saturday morning stroll.

Follow MindfulMessMama on Instagram. I have a “Boutique” highlight and all of those items are available to purchase now! (Or get yours customized that way). You can also DM me there for truly custom items.

I am so excited for this adventure and only hope that BIG things are coming. ❤️

Stroke Awareness Month

Do you know your numbers!?! I have to admit, I’m young so I never cared for paying attention to them. It was always just a quick part of my doctor appointments and that was it.

A great friend, and now cousin, lost her dad to a stroke which was a result of high blood pressure. This man was Ernie’s uncle and he is missed every single day in so many ways. This loss was a hard one that was felt by every single person that knew him but it has been a true eye opener. It was any other work day and that is not a call you expect. You don’t know how to handle that kind of tragedy- one that can be prevented by #KnowingYourNumbers. Your health is important.

Just because I have always had pretty great and healthy numbers (120/60 or less), does not mean I shouldn’t pay attention to them.

On the contrary, now that I am pregnant, this baby is doing wonders to my body- it is NOT just physical. I went to my last appointment and had just walked a bunch while wearing a mask… I was also very excited and talking to my nurse. When she took my blood pressure, it was through the roof! She told me to calm down, breathe, and she’d do it again. When she took it the second time, it was more normal but not what I’m used to. (116/69)

That was an eye opener for me… the last thing I need is preeclampsia etc. I have to walk. Do some yoga. Do anything! Because in an instance, everything can change. I am in no way shape or form a medical expert but it is so important to have some knowledge behind this, so please, do your homework, ask your doctor questions, and stay healthy!

Normal Blood Pressure:

Each time your heart beats, it pumps blood to the walls of the arteries.

Systolic: when it’s pumping blood (120)

Diastolic: the pause between a beat (80)

Normal BP is less than 120/80

High Blood Pressure Symptoms:

BP higher than 140 or 90

BP higher than 180 or 120 must seek medical attention immediately

Swelling in face and hands

Headaches that don’t go away

Vision problems/seeing blurry or spots

Pain in upper right abdomen

Trouble breathing

Things You Can Do:

Eat healthy

Less sodium

Regular exercise (just 30 min a day or 2.5 hours a week)

Limiting alcohol

Managing stress by having new and enjoyable outlets

Remember:

When you have higher blood pressure, that means your heart is working harder to pump blood. After time, this can result in stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and kidney failure.

All it takes is knowledge & one step forward. Know your numbers and set goals to do something healthy in each day.

Lastly, talk. Talk to your loved ones and share the knowledge you have. Share your stories.

Is this real life!? A baby!?

Holy crap! Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, grab your seats and get prepared for the absolute best time of our lives!

A baby is coming!

Oct. 2021 (22nd to be exact, sorry Scarlett)

Okay, Ernie and I have been on quite a few adventures, but this one is our favorite!

Here is a little something on how this happened- no, not literally- gross.. haha!

My entire life, I had one goal before any other. No, not go to college. Not to finish school. Not to get a good job. Not to be financially stable… all of these are absolutely amazing and I am so blessed to have attained them all… but my one and only goal was “do not get pregnant-ever.” It’s hard, I can imagine, that it was very hard for my parents to be the shamed teens who had a baby out of wedlock and being so young…. but I’m truly curious, did anyone ever think about what it may feel like to be the shameful thing that came from it all??

Growing up, I had family and friends that were like my siblings but I also had family and friends who reminded me “what I was.” Whether it be mocking me, making fun of me, questioning me, etc. My main goal was do not let another child feel this way. Be better. Do better. So when Ernie and I got married and decided to start trying to conceive, I had to get through some real mental blocks. I had to go from “not okay” to “it is okay.” My poor husband is a huge blessing. He reminded me (still does) all the time that we have so much love to give some kids, and that we truly can do this. I KNOW this is true… but the mental blocks weren’t easy.

After 10 years of birth control, it was finally time… time to never be poked by a needle again!! Amazing! I am such a “planner” that I planned what month I’d stop, but I had no idea how 10 years of poison would affect my body. We tried for 7 months. These were pretty stressful months. (GUYS, STOP ASKING PEOPLE IF THEY ARE TRYING TO GET PREGNANT. CHANCES ARE THEY WON’T TELL YOU THE TRUTH… besides, are you going to jump in bed and help??? Didn’t think so..) People were constantly reminding us that we were failing, my body or Ernie’s was failing us to be exact. My periods were normal, ovulation should’ve been normal, I wouldn’t drink and I was trying to be pretty healthy, but nothing. Month 7- I said, “I am done ‘trying’ I am stressing myself out as if I don’t have enough stuff going on in my life- if it happens it happens.” Secretly, we all know that you can’t just stop hoping for something… but me and Ernie went out, had a fun time, went bar hopping, and just stopped stressing these matters. 2 weeks later, my glow app said “PERIOD DAY!” And I was like “woohoo” (not) BUT, it didn’t come… okay, could be normal… but then I was cramping.. and my boobs HURT.. and I was SOOOO bloated (5 months pregnant bloated)… I told Ernie there was no way and I wasn’t giving in. He said, “fine, we’ll give it one week and then we’ll test.” 5 days went by and we just couldn’t wait anymore. My best friend said if I was pregnant, she’d give up soda for my entire pregnancy (HA HAA SUCKER) So on a Monday night, I ran to the bathroom to pee, and immediately (there was no time) it said positive… I thought I was crazy.. NO WAY! I ran to grab 2 more tests and BAM, immediately. It was surreal. I wanted to get Ernie on camera (footage sucked but it’s there) so I had to compose myself and then shoot the video… we told some immediate family only- and here’s their reactions ❤️

Our Family Finds Out!

We are absolutely over the moon. This baby, is my true sunshine. Ernie, Scarlett, and I are so excited for this new adventure. Scarlett has no idea what’s coming, but we know she’ll be so excited when her best friend arrives. (They’re supposed to have the same birthday for crying out loud.) Follow our World Reyes Instagram page and our YouTube for fun updates. I truly plan on being as raw and honest as possible through all of this so I hope you all enjoy the wild ride!

10 Best Amazon Bup Products!

Scarlett has been the best thing that’s happened to us. I have to admit, Ernie had never had an indoor dog so he could not wrap his head around us getting a puppy and letting it stay inside all day, sleep with us, and everything else this spoiled pup gets.

Getting a dog (any pet) is a lot of responsibility, but they are the greatest companions in the world. We have enjoyed every minute with her and only look forward to the many years we get to spend with her.

The following is our top 10 Amazon products that you NEED for any pup. They will make your life so much easier and you’ll be better prepared for bringing your new pup home.

I will definitely make a post about all of our training tactics but the Bell was an important one! We purchased this two pack of bells and put them at Scarlett’s entrances/exits. Bottom line, we rang the bells every time we opened the doors. We encouraged her to ring it (the first few days we grabbed her arm and hit the bell for her) every time we went out and gave her all the praise! We also put her toys and treats through the glass door and associated “opening” with the bell noise and she was praised with her toys and treats once she did it and the door opened. Please message us if you have any questions about this- it is amazing and she looks very smart when doing it 😉

The Bark Box has been an absolute life saver while apartment living AND traveling. The box lets out a high pitched noise when your dog barks and it doesn’t hurt them but they sure don’t like it- it distracts them from the issue (like 10-second tom.) We have packs the Bark Box in our suitcase and bring it to hotels so that we don’t get any sort of complaint.

Buts LOVE food- no surprise, right? Within the first week, we had to invest in this Slow Feeder. We’d put the food into the smallest circles and she’d take 10-15 minutes to eat. It also comes with a Silicone Bowl (or you can buy them on their own) and we love these for traveling, in my purse, etc.

Scarlett hair is a nightmare! We had no idea that certain hair needed certain types of bristles. This Hair Brush has worked wonders with Scarlett’s long hair. It has an amazing feature where you press the back button and the hair in the brush comes off without a pull!

And when the hair is just a bit tangly or smelly- this Biosilk for Dogs is a life saver. We have been asked, “mm did she have a bath?” and she most definitely did not, she most definitely needed one. It helps after bath time to get tough tangles/knots/matts out.

And if those two just aren’t doing it, this Deshedding Tool will definitely help. Even hypoallergenic dogs need a good cleaning. We definitely recommend using this every so often and it helps keep hair off of furniture, clothes, etc.

When getting a puppy, you can’t go wrong with an Animal/Dog Carrier. I carried Scarlett everywhere since she was so tiny. This bag was a good fit until she was about 14 lbs. We’d put a blanket on the bottom and her favorite stuffy and she loved being in the business! Also, no one could tell she was in there unless I pointed it out. I wore it on my chest rather than back and honestly preferred it.

Whether traveling, going on a walk, to the park, or anywhere else- this portable Water Bottle is a MUST HAVE. I loved that the silicone piece flips out as a bowl. I have seen others that were plastic and barely held any water. This one holds a perfect amount and Scarlett loves drinking from it (and other dogs at the same time while at the dog park.) Then, I flip it back and hang it from our backpack. The plastic bottle is durable and won’t crack (unless there is serious pressure/damage- I’m sure) I wouldn’t trade this water bottle for anything.

While traveling, we use this Seatbelt in the car. Not only for safety (it’s actually the law) but also because Scarlett is a cuddle bug and will just lay on us if it’s up to her. The seatbelt is long enough and adjustable so she can stick her whole head out the window and I can feel secure that she won’t just fly out or roll off the seat when she falls asleep.

Lastly, this gorgeous Life Jacket! They have different ones so your Bup doesn’t have to be a majestic mermaid, but it is so cute and works great! We took her to the Colorado River and it worked great down stream. She also wore it on the jetski and after a few minutes, it didn’t bother her. I think she likes it more when swimming to be honest-lazy girl.

If you want to follow along on Scarlett’s Adventures, follow @Scarlett.the.Bup on Instagram. We love taking her on new adventures and sharing them with all of you!

Side Hustles for Mental Health

The Pandemic has taken a toll on our mental health and we may be struggling. It has been proven and there are so many statistics that say it is. Isolation is not in our human nature- so it only makes sense that many of us are feeling blue, depressed, worthless, bored, uneasy, worried, stressed, filled with anxiety, and so much more! This is okay.

When the pandemic started affecting our lives in March, we both had full time jobs. I was actually on the verge of leaving my job for a new one so I almost felt like, “things happen for a reason.” We were also going to move closer to family so it all sort of worked out. However, my new job was 1/2 working from home and 1/2 in person.

I am not one to be able to sit around and do nothing. It is in my personality and nature to take on leadership roles and take on new projects. When the news started saying that we would have to wear masks in order to go out in public, I literally grabbed Ernie’s black shirt and tore it apart. I also grabbed the sewing kit that my grandma gave me (that I had never used) and turned on some youtube videos. It took me about 2.5 hours to make one mask, but I felt accomplished and this calmed my anxiety.

I quickly got a small sewing machine from Amazon (one of the last ones available) and when it came, I got to work. Being able to provide for myself and my family made me happy. Learning how to sew masks (or sew at all) became a cool niche and hobby. Suddenly, I realized that not many people have the patience or ability to sew anymore so this would be a cool talent to have.

Of course, I had to involve Scarlett. She goes with us everywhere (not kidding) and I loved being able to match with her! She absolutely hated things around her neck but she was used to her collar, so instead of tied bandanas, I went with Over the Collar Bandanas. So far, so good- my little business has taken off through Instagram and a little bit through Easy and I am content.

As teachers, the summer is usually open so this worked out pretty well! Since then, I got a full time job at an amazing school and Ernie was able to return to work, but with out coaching- he comes home SO early, (this is amazing- bitter sweet because I know he’ll start his passion of coaching soon again) so we were both home early every day, house cleaned and orderly (Scarlett is in heaven), but also at times- boriinngg! Lol, we love each other and we adore time spent together, but come on- everyone needs an outlet, that is only healthy. So he resorts to video games and when sewing started slowing down for me, hot cocoa bombs started becoming a huge hit!

Thanks to my cousin, I got the amazing idea to learn how to make Hot Cocoa Bombs. I watched videos, ordered items on amazon & bought some chocolate chips! I GOT BUSY! I learned the art of chocolate melting, molding, and decorating and soon enough people started asking if they could buy them from me… I mean yeah! Why not!? HaaHaaaaaaaa…. because you’re going to be super busy & stressed, Sandra!! (but that’s okay)

Not doing anything works for some people. I wish I could- honestly! But it is an easy and dangerous beginning to a deep dark hole that I will slip in to. I can watch T.V. and chill on the couch for a little bit, but then I start eating, and getting lazy, and thinking of all the things I’d love to do or have in life… and no one needs that kind of negativity. Research shows that people who have hobbies or activities to do, will make them less likely to feel depressed, get anxiety, and it will make them happier.

Listen, I’m not telling you to start taking orders and selling cakes or even taking on a second job… but finding something you are interested in is super important. I don’t love sewing, nor do I love working with chocolate. I do however, love being able to ‘help’ people, I do feel accomplished at the end of the day, and I do know that my mental health is thriving by doing these things.

There is something out there for everyone, get on pinterest and start your search!

I believe in you and you should too!

Small list of possibilities: Photography, yoga, dancing, sewing, shooting, reading, writing, traveling, playing an instrument, learning a language, baking, gardening, cooking, painting, drawing, sculpting, embroidery, hiking, running, wood-work, party planning, self defense, making cocktails, diy decor… diy anything!