2018

Who let the moms out? Woot – Woot – WOOT!

/ Sonia Castaneda / Leave a comment

As most of you know, I am a mother who works from home. This can sound like a dream for most women commuting to work everyday, but trust me – its not that glamorous! I used to imagine stay at home mothers sleeping until noon, working out, meal prepping, clipping coupons, organizing, and being stress free because they don’t have anyone to answer too! WRONG! Actually quite the opposite. I have to not only work here, but I cook and clean, drop off and pick up my son, I don’t have anyone to talk to but the UPS man for 2 seconds, and I always jump at every sound scared out of my flip flops. I take the dogs on longer than usual walks just to get a break from my tiny condo. I know I know…things could be worse, but hear me out!

I am grateful for the few friends I do have from grade school and church because I look forward to the outings! I know a few moms who are dragging their feet at TARGET right now just trying to extend the alone time just a bit longer haha. I am happy to report we got out for the day. Away from worrying about anything, even spending too much money! We hit the I-15 South toward Corona, Ca to GLEN IVY HOT SPRINGS!

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We pulled up into the parking lot about 10 minutes before the spa opened, and practically ran in when they let us through!

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Admission is $50 Monday – Thursday, $70 on Friday – Sunday, and $40 Thursday – Saturday 4pm – 9pm! We were there for 8 hours and let me tell you, the time flew! After we rinsed of we took a short elevator ride down into the Grotto to be painted neck-to-toe with a warm aloe vera, coconut oil, eucalyptus and lavender masque. The service is $25, and you need a reservation!

Spending time soaking up the sun will make you hungrier than you could ever imagine! You can not bring in your own food or drinks, bags inspected at the entrance by spa employees, so we stopped into the IVY KITCHEN for lunch.  I suggest the nachos ($16)! There were 3 of us and we could not finish the large ($26) – it was huge! I also got the plant based sliders ($16) which were amazing! The girls also enjoyed the BBQ Flat bread ($16), which is also large enough to share. Everything on the menu is farm to table, and they even grow their own avocados and citrus onsite!

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One thing we all kept saying is: Its so nice doing NOTHING! Stay at home moms, working moms, mother figures, women…I am you, I get you, I feel for you! I hope everyone gets a way and experiences little adventures like this.

I dont drink much anymore. 1) Alcohol is sugar, and sugar makes you fat. Id rather eat candy to be honest. 2) Diabetes. 3) It will destroy a budget for eating out faster than you can say “Im on a budget”. So I stick to water which is free.99 haha and if I am feeling wild, Ill have one. I went with a classic Bloody Mary ($10), its practically vegetables right? *wink*.

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I honestly did not like the blue cups. BUT for legal reasons, I will let it slide. The youngest you have to be to get into GlenIvy is 16, so they want to make sure no one underage is drinking! The blue cup lets everyone know how much I spent for the beverage, how old I am, and that I am feeling gooooood haha.

There are tons of things to do for free. Mineral and saline baths, showers and jacuzzis, saunas and gardens, lay out and read a book, chat with other spa goers…or like one mom I met – go alone and take a long peaceful nap! We had an amazing time. After the long drive back home, I was home just in time to go to sleep! What a way to spend the day! If you have ever been to Glen Ivy, or have been to something similar, let me know you thoughts and suggestions in the comment section below! Thanks for reading!

xoxo,

Sonia

Hiking, Worship, and Healing.

/ Sonia Castaneda / Leave a comment

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Jude and I spend a lot of time together. Naturally, where I am he is. I make it my mission to spend time with him outdoors. Today we went on a hike with our dogs, while my favorite worship songs played loudly in my pocket. My family’s faith has been tested and strengthened in the last 6 months. You might have seen a post of two mentioning the woman’s bible study I joined 7 weeks ago, I needed God.  My son has been dealing with a string of challenges and he’s finally feeling…free. Jude started showing signs of anxiety many years ago and it only intensified over the years. We thought it was just a phase, it didn’t go away. His emotions were all over, ranging from sadness, boredom, and anger. He didn’t know how to express himself.

Because I am on YouTube, I am judged for everything including my parenting. I am always compared to other influencers and how they choose to raise their children. Ive been sent so many bibles, passive aggressively,  I could start my own church. A few made comments about how my son isn’t in private school and how selfish I am to not give him the best education with the resources I have. The truth is, I tried. He was attending Christian private school during summer. Kris and I volunteered 2 days a week to support our son and accompany his class on field trips. My son was dismissed only a month in because he had sever anxiety – not getting into a fight, no rules were broken – simply because he was having an anxiety attack and they didn’t know how to deal with it. There was no prayer, no sympathy for my son, no nothing. I was handed a check and I left with my sons hand in mine. I assured him that I was happy with him, and grateful we had the opportunity to find somewhere better.

From that moment I was going to do whatever it took to ensure he would NEVER feel dismissed by anyone, because of who he is and what he is going through. This post is not to shame him, but to shed light on mental health and to give hope to others. Through my research and personal therapy, I feel comfort knowing I am not alone. My son is not the only one, my family is not the only ones feeling this way. There is light at the end. There are better days to come. I am happier and grateful for the healing my son and family are finally experiencing. Amen!

YouTube has been a place were influencers have shared only the best parts of their lives. If connecting with my followers has always been my motivation for uploading…I knew I needed to start sharing. Im on a journey to start living my purpose. If you too are going through something similar, please feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section. I would love to connect.

*Latina Kisses*

Sonia

 

2018 New Year’s Resolutions that you can actually KEEP!

/ Sonia Castaneda / Leave a comment
NEW YEAR, WHO’S THIS?
New Year’s Day was my mom’s favorite day to declare that she was going to have a better year when I grew up, and now its my annual ritual. So many people are using the word “GOAL” instead of resolution but its the same damn thing. We all want to do better, be better and feel better so I made a video all about it, HERE. Are you pro or anti New Year Tradition?
WEIGHT LOSS
I have spent most of my adult life struggling to get myself to the gym and it wasn’t for me. I tried every kind of workout and I could never stick with it. I kind of just like to wake up and figure it out as I go so taking walks to different points in the city with my dogs, or my son, works best for me. I had a gym membership for 2+ years and I only went maybe a total of 1 month of that time. It doesn’t help that I have extreme anxiety so being in social settings hinders my ability to stick around.
PLAN
Time management is not my strength. I am late to everything but business meetings and church! Using a planner, making a list or setting reminders on my phone gets me everywhere relatively on time. Im the last to arrive and the first to leave…but hey! I show up and thats all that really counts right? I suggest going to TJMAX, ROSS, and Homegoods to pick up some cute and affordable notebooks, pads, and planners to keep you motivated!
TRAVEL
I plan a few trips a year for me, because to be honest Kris HATES to travel. I hope to break him in one of these days! We are going to Mexico this spring and I can not wait!! I booked through Expedia and they have a great deals! I also got a credit card through them so when I make every day purchases (gas, groceries, shopping) I earn points towards hotel stays! Also there is a payment plan with cruises! You make a deposit and pay what you can until a month before your trip! Where would you go if you had the choice? Jude wants to go to London, England.
POSITIVE THINKING
Mindfulness is something I encourage my son to tune into daily. As he gets older, I respect the things he enjoys and things he does not…with limits. Staying Positive is essential to living a healthy and productive life. Negativity is second nature when you have depression and anxiety so the struggle is real! In my video I mentioned the book THE FOUR AGREEMENTS has changed my life, and its one I read over and over. My favorite part is not taking what other do and say – personal. Im so sensitive and I take everything personal haha so it helps! Read it and thank me later!
Hopefully you all have a beautiful 2018 – Positive, Strong, and Successful!
Thanks for reading!