NY Baby Show 2018 Top Three!!

I always look forward to the NY Baby show in May. Not only because Mom Trends completely spoils us, but because brands are always coming out with super cool new collections or models and it’s hard to keep up with them all! So I love that the NY Baby show lays it all out for you, and keeps you up to date on all the great new products on the market for your little ones.

I had so much fun looking around, connecting with old and new brands, hanging out with my close blogger girls, and the delicious Boston Market meal we were given at the #NYBSBloggerLounge! I was also very happy to see the March of Dimes there as I am a a preemie momma, so I love how they help mothers out during one of the hardest times possible to make sure everything needed is available!

Without any further or due, let’s get into my top three.

First off. I must start with the BabyZen YOYO+ stroller! I completely fell in love with it when I first saw it, love at first sight. Yup, with a stroller. We have tried to ween the little one off the stroller a bit but his little legs are still not used to it, especially with the summer coming in full heat. But lugging a strolllet around this crowded city of ours is one of the most annoying things ever, which is why I loved the BabyZen YOYO+! Super lightweight and really easy to just fold up & strap on to your shoulder. I tested it out at the stroller testing side of the show, and it was sturdy yet glided so well without hassle. It was made so perfectly, I honestly couldn’t find anything wrong with it. Such a perfect stroller for us on the go city moms, plus a great travel/ vacation stroller for when you are headed out of the city. 

My second pick is Real Shades, these super cool shades change color when they are exposed to sunlight! But the thing I loved most about them was they completely understand that kids are going to be kids and they will break and or lose their shades plenty of times, but they offer a new shade guarantee when you just register your shades with them, no questions asked! Now I don’t know many companies that do that, but if you have kids you understand that hardship of always losing or finding them broken. It’s something you just literally have no control over, and I wish many other companies would take that into full consideration when making their products!

Lastly I loved the With Thanks Notes! I don’t know about you but I dread all of the thank you notes after a birthday party. But you don’t want to be that mom who just sends a basic thank you via email, because it’s just so impersonal. With Thanks Notes not only takes the hassle of the thank you notes, but they go the extra mile and write them out one by one, to give it that personal touch without any hard work from you. You get to choose exactly how you want it and they do the dirty work so you can get that rest you deserve after knocking out a grand fiesta. This is also perfect for weddings, baby showers, graduation parties, or for the end of the year soon approaching to thank all of the teachers at your child’s schools. 

Of course I had many other favorites which I will keep sharing on all my social media outlets so be sure to check them out. Via twitter, Instagram & Facebook - @Mommygorjess. 

- This post is sponsored, and I was hosted by MomTrends to enjoy this lovely event with them. All opinions are 100% and completely my own. 

PUPSTAR WORLD TOUR Cuisine Contest!

Our family is huge on movies, and our collection is pretty diverse if you ask me. Of course the boys have their go to favorites, and so do we. But for the most part they always give different movies a chance. We were so excited when we found out about Pup Star World Tour! I mean who wouldn’t love a movie with a bunch of super cute pups going around the world! An all-new movie that takes the popular singing dogs on trip around the world from Africa to India and beyond, where Tiny and friends find fantastic new songs and meet exciting new canine singers like Julio is the new dog on the scene, a Mexican heartthrob who is not all he appears to be, but ultimately helps them discover that music really is the universal language that brings us all together! Pup Star World Tour is produced by Air Bud Entertainment. Available on Netflix and digital HD today! Watch the Trailer : Click Here To Watch

We were sent a pretty awesome package, with lots of Official PSWT cooking utensils, PSWT aprons, doggy treats from Old Mother Hubbards Natural Dog Treats, One coupon for a free box of Dogsters Ice Cream Style Treats for Dogs, a VCA Animals Hospital's KONG Squeaky Ball, and a  Hope Bear created with Extended Stay America, which is given to children battling cancer in hospitals nationwide as part of ESA's partnership with the American Cancer Society. The boys were so excited to see all the cool stuff we got in this huge boxed luggage, which by the way I believe we will be keeping it forever, as they love playing "Vacation" with it every day. All of these awesome companies came together in partnership to create a "One Pack, One Voice" Campaign. The campaign includes Extended Stay America hotels Pawsome Pup Pet Photo Contest. A perfect partner for Air Bud Entertainment since the hotel allows guests to bring their pets with them on vacation. Also VCA Hospitals Healthy Pup Star Photo Contest. VCA Animal Hospitals is the largest family of animal care providers nationwide, operating over 750 hospitals in the U.S and Canada. You can also head over to Braum's, the high quality family owned restaurant to get a character based toy in a Kids Meal bag. Plus many other different partnerships to help spread the word on this super awesome, family friendly movie! In our box was also a recipe book, and information on this contest that we were chosen to be a part of!

Now ---- On to the Cuisine Contest! Since the pups went on an epic adventure around the world we were able to choose a dish from one of the places they visited. We decided to choose the Mexican Street Corn. One - because we absolutely enjoyed Julio's scenes in the movie, and Two- because my boys love absolutely anything that has to do with corn. Its a go to in our home. Sweet corn topped with crumbly cotija cheese and just the right amount of spice. The best corn you will ever have. 

Here is what you will need:

- 6 ears of fresh sweet corn

- 6 tablespoons of mayonnaise

- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

- 1 cup of crumbled cotija cheese

- 6 tablespoons of rough chopped fresh cilantro

- 1 teaspoon of chipotle chili powder

- 2 quartered limes 

Cook time: Approx 45 minutes!!!

When it comes to cooking with kids you should always prep all the ingredients in advanced, so of course I took everything out, measured it all and put them in reaching distance so they could see everything in front of them, and ready to use. I put the oven to preheat to 350, and placed the corn husks directly on the oven rack. I let them bake for 35-40 minutes or until fork tender. While the corn was cooking I got a small bowl for them to combine the garlic powder and mayonnaise. They love anything that has to do with mixing different ingredients together, so they had a blast just mixing away. Jace is a pure perfectionist so he made sure all the garlic powder was fully blended into the mayonnaise! 

 Once the corn was done I let it sit for a bit so it would not be too hot when the boys were ready to get messy with it. When it was at a perfect touch temperature they brushed the mayonnaise onto each one. I think this must have been there most favorite part. They said it was just like painting with a art brush. They loved coating them all up, and made sure all of them had a pretty good amount all around. 

We then got a flat pan and threw in the cotija cheese so we could roll the corn around in it. Jace really loved this part, but Caleb said it was too messy for him. So dad helped Jace make sure he got cheese all around each corn husk. We are cheese loving people in this household so we had to fully coat it with a whole bunch of it. The flavor of the cotija cheese is just perfection to collaborate with sweet corn. It gives you the perfect taste of sweet and salty! 

We then added the cilantro and chili powder. My boys are not huge fans of anything green or spicy, as most children these days. But if the super awesome Pup stars were eating it, then they figured they would give it a shot. Plus it was going on their most favorite food in the whole world, so they knew it couldn't be that bad. 

Now this last part Caleb kept asking to do, and was very impatiently waiting to squeeze the limes onto the corn. He said he wanted to show his strong! It was the cutest thing ever seeing them try their very best at squeezing out that lime juice onto the corn. But it for sure would not have tasted the same without it. It was adding the sour taste to the salty sweet and spicy. So many flavors in just one dish, but oh so delicious!

We had such a fun time cooking as a family. It is something we rarely ever get a chance to do with our busy schedules of work, school, and extracurricular activities that happen through out the week. Once it hits the weekend we are so fried that we usually eat out a restaurant or order in. This was a perfect time to bond, and at the same time it allowed us to have some tasty authentic style Mexican food without having to leave the house. We sat at the table and tried our dish, and it was completely devoured in minutes. It was honestly the most tastiest corn I have ever had. I already know we will be making this dish over and over again! We couldn't believe how simple it was to make, and how great it came out. I will be allowing them to cook with us a bit more now that I have seen just how much fun they had doing so, and how proud they were at the end of it all. 

So if you have not seen PUPSTAR WORLD TOUR, you need to get on it ASAP. Head on over to Netflix and give it a watch. I promise you and your kiddos will be laughing through out the whole movie! They also will most likely want to travel around the world after it too, because my kids have already started a list of all the places they want to travel to, and I love that it promotes different cultures and diversity. We are all in this  beautiful world together, and we can join together and make this world more united! Thank you Air Bud Entertainment for allowing us to apart of this super special Cuisine Contest. We all found so much joy doing it together!

- The box was sent to us, but all opinions honest, and our very own.
- Photos were taken by Jesica Gomez (@lost_artt)

Mother’s Day gifting made easy!

Mother’s Day is this weekend, and I am so grateful for all the awesome moms in my life that love me, support me, and help me be the mother I am. My mom has always been a very big part of my life: from raising me as a stay at home mom for quite some time she put all of her heart and energy into her kids. To then taking on the role as grandma and embracing every part of it. I can never thank her enough, and I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way about their mom. Nothing I can buy her can truly show her how much I appreciate everything she put into creating me, and keeping me happy day in day out. You never really start to realize all the hardship of motherhood until you become one yourself and then it ALL makes sense. I am a big gift giver though, just because I love getting personal and showing others that I am listening to them and I do understand them as a person in my life. Here I rounded up four gifts I believe you can give to any kind of Momma! 

First present you would think would be more for the kids, but trust me you will truly enjoy it just as much as they will. Peter Rabbit is now out on DVD and Blu Ray. It was considered one of the most charming and entertaining family films in years! Peter Rabbit, the mischievous and adventurous hero who has captivated generations of readers, now takes on the starring role of his own cheeky contemporary comedy with attitude. In the film, Peters feud with Mr. McGregor escalates as they rival for the affections of the warm hearted animal lover who lives next door. James Corden, with playful spirit and wild charm, voices the character of Peter, alongside Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Debicki, and Daisy Ridley voicing the roles of the triplets, Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton Tail. Every momma needs some down time but let’s face it sometimes you can’t wait until bed time and you just  need to give into TV time. You can make it an awesome movie day in, where the kids will laugh and learn a thing or two, while you sit back and relax, and you will certainly get a laugh or two as well. Plus the kids will get to enjoy Mother’s Day as well!  Get yours now on Amazon or Target! 

1. J Goldcrown for Sephora Collection: Bleeding Hearts Brush Set, a exclusive limited edition brush set for $29 currently on Sephora.com. I love that it comes with a pouch to store them in, which makes it perfect for on the go, which is something I always look for when it comes to brush sets as I am a working on the go mom. Just recently i had an event to go to after work so I stuffed it into my purse, and it saved the day when I had to touch up my make up for a more night time look. The set includes:

- Face Powder Brush

- Highlighter Brush

- Round Concealer Brush

- Crease Brush

- Angled Shadow Brush

- Pouch

It is also vegan, and cruelty free which is a huge plus for me as I am being super aware and conscious about these kind of things lately! These brushes are such great quality, with no shedding going on. The eyeshadow brushes were perfectly picking up the product and applying them great with not much press needed. Plus they are absolutely beautiful to look at. I love that they are colorful and gave me so many spring feels! 

Diamond Elm Candles are hand poured 100% soy wax candles with hemp wicks. Now if you know absolutely anything about me you know I have a huge hoarder obsession with candles. If it were up to me, I would have about 10 candles lit all around the house. There is just something about the burn of a candle the truly soothes me! I love burning one at the beginning of my days to ground me and ease me into my adventures to come, and then at the end of the night to ease my mind and wind me down for a peaceful night of rest. My boys already know it’s just part of our night time routine, and they have been really loving these scents. I love that they are soy candles, because as I said before I am trying my best to be more conscious of what I use on myself as well as inhale. My favorite scent was the Jasmine and Sandalwood, but they have plenty of other amazing scents you should go check out on decandles.com/shop

Mom Juice SimplyJLynn wine glass. I can’t get enough of cute wine glasses with perfect mom phrases. This one completely caught my attention because every time my boys used to see me drinking my wine they would ask me what I was drinking, and we started calling it Mom Juice, and we stuck with it to the point where they automatically say oh that’s mommy’s juice when they see a bottle of wine. I knew it was a cup I definitely needed, and all moms deserve their special juice after a long day with the kids, so why not get a special glass for it as well. She also makes many other kinds of drink ware from coffee mugs, to tumblers, and over 20 something different 21 oz stemless wine glasses to pick from! Go and check them all out, I’m sure you will have a very hard time choosing just one! www.simplyjlynn.com

3. PhotoPearls by Goliath which you can transform your photos into unique works of art. Whether you know a crafty momma who enjoys getting artsy with her kiddos, or if you would like to create them yourself to give as a personal gift, it’s a very different kind of present that can really be enjoyed, and appreciated. We are working on our own Mother’s Day presents for both grandmas with PhotoPearls, and the boys really love that they can be hands on with the presents because it tends to carry much more meaning. They are just so proud to share that they actually created something, and it is so easy and fun for children to do that they forget they are actually making something. It takes a lot of patience and time, but my kids loved how focused they had to be during the process of making them. Once you see the end result you are truly amazed that you actually finished this beautiful piece of art all on your own. You can get your own set on Amazon.com 

We appreciate our teachers with Mabel’s Labels!

Teacher Appreciation week is approaching and I absolutely LOVE our teachers. I have two boys, a first grader and a Pre Kindergartener. I remember the day we started looking into schools for my oldest, and I had so much anxiety about him starting kindergarten. Even though he has been going to school since he was two years old we were more worried for elementary as we knew it would be a big change. When we decided on a school and went for the orientation to meet the teachers I couldn’t help but pray that we would get a really good teachers for him. We were extremely blessed with what I believe to be the BEST teachers! They honestly exceeded my expectations, and made me feel so comfortable and calm so fast. From the constant communication, to all the cute photos sent to me during the day to reassure me that he was having a good time. I was so happy to know that my son was in good hands, at all times. These women comforted him when he was scared, made him laugh when he was sad, and made him smile when he was worried. They brought peace of mind to myself every single school day, and helped us both have a smooth transition into the school setting. We were lucky enough to have his head teacher move up with him to 1st grade as well, which I was so happy about. She truly became part of our family, and the time and effort she put not only into my son, but into all of us was such a humble thing to experience! My son is excelling in school, and it was something we worried about when he first began too, but he is excelling so well because of her. Teachers work endlessly to make sure our babies are always doing well. Spending their own money, their own off the clock time, to not just teach- but engage with each child & their family. As an educator myself I know just how invested you can get in this field of work, and it takes so much heart to do, day in day out. 

To celebrate them, and show them how appreciated they are we teamed up with Mabel’s Labels to give them each their very own name labels and name tag! Teachers have a million pencils, planners, and folders -so we knew they would love them, and at the same time put them to great use! The boys loved being able to design the label for each teacher and are so excited to give them ones just like the ones they have! The birthday party pack is perfect because it comes with 6 different name packs that each include five personalized name stickers and one personalized bag tag, all for just $30! It’s the perfect gift for amazing teachers that go above and beyond when it comes to the little people who mean the most to us. 

- This product was sent to us for review, but all opinions are of our own! We have been huge fans of Mabel’s Labels always! :)