By Erika Batista

CHRISTMAS DECOR IDEAS

November 22, 2022

I love the holidays and decorating our home for Christmas is one of my favorite things to do this time of the year. This year I wanted to commit to decorations I already own. So even thought these Christmas decorations are older I still wanted to share my style this year and link some similar ideas for you guys. Adding little touches of Christmas throughout the home truly makes it feel like the most wonderful time of the year. Bonus: the kids LOVE it!

Here are the cutest items I found for you. Some are the exact item and others are similar.

adidas astir partnerships sneakers i love style

MOST COMFORTABLE SNEAKERS

November 21, 2022

If you asked me what my favorite pair of sneakers is right now... hands down, the adidas Astirs! They are so cute, comfortable and go with everything. I never used to think of myself as a sneaker lover (to this level!) but this is my third pair of astirs and the color ways are so nice. Linking some of my favorites below for you guys. Adidas is having an early access Black Friday sale for members and you can get some of these for just $40 when you sign up (it's free!).

gap holiday outfit ideas mommy and me looks partnerships style

EASY MOMMY AND ME CASUAL HOLIDAY LOOK

November 15, 2022

Can you believe how quickly the holiday season came!? Yea, me neither. But I'm excited to share a cute and casual mommy and me look which is perfect for this holiday season. I love this matching little jewel green number because it's rich and comfy for both of us. And what I love most is that the pieces are easy to reuse in many different ways.

Here are some places or events I would wear this to; a night out in the city, a holiday theater date with your mini... and even holiday cards! All these pieces can be found at the GAP and they are currently having some amazing deals. Shop these looks HERE.

holiday decor holiday tablescape home decor tablescape decor thyme and table dinnerware walmart dinnerware

FRIENDSGIVING TABLE DECOR

It's my first time hosting Friendsgiving, so I decided to go all out! I love hosting and have been dying to get this dinnerware set from Walmart. So what better opportunity?! My vision was to create a holiday tablescape that can be used and styled throughout the entire year. I love using neutrals and adding little touches of green made this table warm and chic.

Shop all my holiday table decor pieces HERE, you are going to be wow'd with the prices! The dinnerware set is only $47 and they have another style too.

nj weekend staycation travel weekend getaway

WEEKEND GETAWAY: KARTRITE RESORT | MONTICELLO, NY

October 20, 2022

If you are looking for a fun staycation look no further than Kartrite Resort in Monticello, NY. It's the perfect vacation with kids of all ages. It's about 2 hours from Central New Jersey so it' the ideal weekend getaway with kids. We visited in the summer but it's perfect for the winter too since they have an indoor waterpark. Packed with a lazy river and all!

We stayed in a 2-bedroom suite and it was perfect for us five. They also have an arcade, laser tag, outdoor playground and fun games and even an outdoor heated pool. So many water slides for adults and kids alike. There are also great food (and drinks!) choices, we loved the food at Harvey's. Oh and if it's in your budget, rent the cabana, VIP status? Yes, please! You can check out our video recap HERE. We had a blast and the kids can't wait to go back.

byerikabatista 2022 catching up i am back

GUESS WHO'S BACK!?

Hiiii! I can't believe I am here again. Wow, the amount of dust on the old blog... I feel like I forgot how to blog, you guys! So we are just going to share my thoughts, there's so much I have to catch you guys up on. It's crazy how Instagram took over and all my work (sponsored and not!) all of a sudden just took off over there. But I am happy to be here and I hope that we can rekindle the cute relationship we had.

We have so much to catch on... I have THREE kids now! Can you believe it? Yea, me neither. The baby was born August 2020, during the pandemic and life has been crazy since then. His name is Sebastian and he is the cutest thing in my life. Ben is 11!!! Emme is 7, soon to be 8! I know, I know, what is life right? Can you believe this blog is 11 years old this year?

Let's see, what else? OMG you guys, I launched a whole brand! It's called Pretty Kind and I am so in love with it. It's only a year old, she was born October 2021 and you guys are going to love it as much as I do. It's an apparel brand with intention. I designed sweatshirts and they have inspirational messages and affirmations. My mission is to spread kindness and speak about the important of self love and self care. You guys can check it out HERE.

I do want to be fully transparent, just like I was before, sharing the good and the "not so good". Because that's the beauty of life... there are high HIGHS and low LOWS. And that's ok, we pray and we stay grateful and we learn to navigate it all. Now I can't promise you daily posts like before but my goal is to post at the very least twice a month. I am super active on TikTok and Instagram too. So if you ever want to catch me on the daily, follow me there... for now, I am so happy to be back and thank you for opening up your arms to me without hesitation. I am so happy we are back together on here.

ps: if you want to shop this cute look on the pic, you can do so here:

lifestyle mom life the croods movie the croods: new age movie things to do with the kids

THE CROODS: A NEW AGE

December 17, 2020

Thank you to Universal Pictures for sponsoring this post in collaboration with #WeAllGrow Latina Network. As always, all opinions are my own.

We are big movie fans around here, especially during the winter because what's cozier than being cuddled up on the couch watching your favorite movie and snacking our hearts away? Well, this Friday, December 18th, The Croods: A New Age comes out on demand and we are counting down the hours! What sweeter way to spend this holiday season than to watch everyone's favorite movie!? We loved the first Croods movie and cannot wait to experience the fun this time around.

The kids and I love crafts and spending time together and we were lucky enough to receive some fun activities from The Croods: A New Age. I made their favorite snacks and we painted rocks, figured out word puzzles and even drew Emme's favorite shapes - she's in kindergarten so she's into everything right now!

We watched the trailer together and to be honest, what attracts me most about the movie is the message. It truly reminds me of this crazy year... it's about embarking on an epic adventure of the unknown (hello 2020!? can't get any crazier than this!) and sticking together as a family, learning to love and embrace our differences and finding each one'sones strength. Very similar to what our family has learned and cherished most this year. At the end of the day, family is all that really matters and I am so here for this adorable, charismatic and funny movie.

So if you are into movies like us and want to create a fun movie night at home, check out The Croods: A New Age on demand this Friday, December 18th! Get the whole family together for some laughs and yummy snacks. Mom Tip: I love to put our snacks in cupcakes pans for easy access and to trick them into havingto having fun but healthy snacks too!

buying a house house for sale lifestyle

BUYING A HOUSE DURING A PANDEMIC

October 6, 2020

Honestly you guys, I am really surprised to know how many of you are interested in my home buying process. If you are new around here, you may or may not know that we recently purchased our second home, while 9 months pregnant and during the height of the pandemic. Yup, chaotic to say the very least. But it wasn't meant to be this way, we didn't plan to close 4 days before I gave birth but as life would have it in 2020, sh*t happens and we closed on our house on July 31st and our baby was born on August 4th.

In full transparency, it wasn't easy at all, we put our old house on the market the first week in March and we received an offer (over asking price) the very next day. Of course we accepted it, then a week later, COVID-19 happened. We weren't able to look at houses for two and a half months, the market was at a stand still. Thankfully we had a clause in our sale contract to protect us while we found our home. Tip one: always protect yourself! So many unprecedented things can happen at any given point.

I am a planner, through and through. We "planned" on selling our first house from the moment we bought it. Our goal was to be there 5 years and this month (October 2020) would've been exactly 5 years at that house. All this to say, we began the vision very early on but the actual process last year. We called our realtor fall 2019 and started looking at what was available and scouting potential towns. We knew we weren't going to move in 2019 but it's always good to do your research early on and narrow down towns and options with ample time so you don't end up rushing such a big decision.

But enough of that, let's get straight to the point and answer some of your most asked questions on buying a house during a pandemic.

1. How do you begin the home buying process?

Find a great realtor and make sure that it's someone that you trust. It's important that they understand your needs, wants and are always looking out for your best interest. Especially in a market like today's! Honesty and respect go a long way. I would ask family and friends for references and see who they used and if they had a great experience. This is such a big purchase, make sure you feel comfortable and 150% happy with your realtor. Follow your gut. I once had a realtor who would only show us sh*tty houses... she even told me I would never find something with my budget. Ha! Joke was on her. We dropped her and found the realtor of our dreams through a friend's reference.

Your realtor should refer you to a mortgage lender and the mortgage lender will process your pre-approval letter after you provide them with all the documents and information they need. This is when you get the magic number, or the amount of the loan you are approved for. Once you are pre-approved, you can start looking at homes within your budget. That's when the fun begins.

2. The market is way over priced, what should I do?

To be completely honest, if it were us, we would hold off on buying a house right now. We got really lucky and were able to put in our offer right before the market went bananas. But remember we had been "looking" since March right before the pandemic hit. Dave and I have always looked at our home purchases as an investment, we look to buy at a good price and good condition to be able to sale and make a profit in the future. We are not "forever home" people yet. We are "for a few year" people for now, so it's important that we are able to purchase well and resell amazingly, if need be.

3. Is credit very important or no?

Credit is absolutely THE most important component of buying a house (in my opinion) and not just for purchasing a house... You should care and nourish your credit from the beginning of time because it's going to help you get the best interest rates and loans; whether you are buying a house, car and even if you plan on renting an apt. So please take care of your credit and if you have bad credit, there are always ways to fix it.

4. Where to buy in New Jersey?

Honestly, it all depends on what YOU are looking for. What I mean is, it's all relative to each individual's needs. New Jersey has so much diversity when it comes to towns. I honestly feel like there is no wrong or right answer for this one. It all depends on what your needs and wants are. What is your current status? Do you have children? Are schools important to you right now? Do you want to be close to the city? Commuting distance?

These are all questions to consider. For us, being a family of 6 (if you count the dog!) and having small children, schools are our top priority when it comes to home buying. We actually moved because we wanted a better school district. We live in Central NJ and I love it because We are close to NYC and also to the beach. So I would first make a list of your wants and needs and go from there.

5. When did you know it was time to move?

We always knew we would sell our first house. It was a great purchase, we got a great deal for the condition of the home. I loved that house but didn't love the location, we always knew that going in and wanted to move once the kids were bigger. Now that Emme was 5 and going to kindergarten, it made sense to make the move - no pun intended lol.

6. What's an ideal amount to save for a down payment?

This all depends on your budget and what you are looking to buy. The first time we purchased our home we put down 3.5% under an FHA loan. This second time we did 10% of the house price on a conventional loan. It's all very personal to your situation to be honest.

7. Did you make a contingent offer on the new home, if so, did that make the process harder?

Absolutely! We had a contingency because we were selling and buying and didn't want to be homeless. Thank God we did because that's when the pandemic hit and we were safe. In simple words, our contingency stated that we couldn't sell our home (even though we had accepted the offer) unless we found a new place to live.

8. What made you sell your house?

Schools was the priority but besides that our first house was exactly that, a first house. It was on the smaller side and I didn't love the location. It was near a busy road and while we loved the interior and how we made it our own, the rooms weren't spacious and it was not the open concept we wanted.

9. Did you know what town you want to look in or was it random?

We had 3 towns we looked into, so yes we knew where we wanted to go. In my opinion, you should do all your research, schools, downtown access, main roads, distance from your job, distance from family, etc...

10. Once you put the offer, did they accept right away? Did you have to offer more money?

We did not offer more than asking price. And yes, everything happened very quickly, within 2 days actually. But to be fair, I have heard that the current market is very different. There are bidding wars, houses are being over priced and there's a lot of delays with mortgage companies and closing documents.

11. How did you manage being pregnant/ having a newborn?

In full transparency, I was a mess. It was extremely stressful. We were not supposed to close 4 days before my baby's birth but it happened that way because well... 2020 right? There was a point we had no control over the closing date and it was all a sh*t show. I cried daily because we were at my mom's house at that point due to some paper work discrepancy's on our buyer's side. I had no idea when the baby would come and low and behold, we closed on July 31st and he was born on August 4.

12. How did you budget yourself when buying a new house/deciding what is a feasible mortgage?

Honestly, my husband is great at budgeting. I am good at a lot of things but budgets is not one of them. Sad but true! But what I can tell you is that you can make it work, I promise. I remember when we first got married, we thought we could never afford a mortgage and even worse save all that money for the down payment.

By the time we bought our house, we had two kids and I was not working full-time. So we lowered our cable bill to the basic package and got Netflix. We also bought and paid off used cars. There are so many ways to cut down on your monthly expenses. You just have to be organized and be strict with your budgeting.

I truly hope this information is helpful to you. I love sharing anything that can help at least one of you. If you have anymore questions, leave a comment or DM me on Instagram (@byerikabatista).

THIRD C-SECTION TRUTHS

September 12, 2020

A little over a month ago, I gave birth to my third baby... a perfect boy we named Sebastian. It was my third c-section. And truthfully the easiest one physically. Mentally? That's another story... being pregnant and giving birth during a global pandemic isn't for the weak.

While at the hospital I got to thinking about so many things women don't speak about when it comes to pregnancy and birth. I can only speak on my experience so that's what I wanted to share today. A few truths and things you probably didn't know about c-sections from this third time c-section mama.

I didn't choose to have a c-section, as most women, my first cesarean was a medical emergency. My second was planned and my third also because my doctor didn't perform VBACs so we stuck to what we knew. Cesareans can be scary, I am not going to sugar coat it. It's a lot... the operation room, the anesthesia, the recovery... the gas! Yup, the gas. Add a pandemic to that and this third c-section was emotional different.

Here are 5 things I don't think women share enough or at all, at least no one ever told me before:

1. You get very gassy. Since they open you up to get baby out, the air gets in your body and it's very painful. For me, this third time was terrible, I literally had to have my husband pat my back to get it out. True story lol I had gas in my shoulders and chest and it was terribly painful for the first few days. The good thing is that it's normal and your nurses will give you gas relief medication and help you through it.

2. The first time you stand up can be very difficult. You will realize how much you use your abdominal muscles. Laughing, sneezing and standing up are painful but it goes away the more you move around. So be sure to get up and walk as soon as you are allowed to. Now a days, they make you get up the same day! When I had emme almost 6 years ago, it was the next day... but I actually felt better this time around than with my first and second cesarean. I remember with my second, I almost fainted. This time around, it was painful but I did it much more smoothly than the previous two. The woman body is so amazing.

3. I always hear that going to the bathroom (to do #2) is painful but I have to be honest, I never had an issue. I do take a few days to go but I don't have pain or difficulty but I hear some or most do. So just be ready for that. The upside, you get stool softener and anything you need to help ease it. Even prune juice lol

4. I don't know if it was because of my anxiety this time around but my blood pressure was high pretty much the entire time I was at the hospital. The first day I was fine and all of a sudden it just went up and didn't come down for days. My doctor monitored me and it was scary, to the point where I hated when the nurse came to take my pressure because it made me so nervous. The nurses were amazing though and they understood, they would literally let me relax and apply my essential oils before taking my pressure lol. I had to breath in and out and they would remind to think happy thoughts. They knew it was my nerves and anxiety. So if this happens to you, know that it can be common. The only concern would be if you get a headache because then it can be postpartum preeclampsia. At least that's what they told me.

5. Last, did you know you will feel numb for months to come? Yes, the incision area will be numb for months, sometimes even years. I forgot about that part and now that I am 5 weeks out I remember it. It's a strange feeling but nothing to worry about as this is normal. Just be sure that you clean it as soon as you are cleared to do so from your doctor.

I wanted to share these hard truths because when they happened to me, I was nervous and scared and didn't know they were common. So I don't mean to scare you I just want you to know it's all going to be ok, but it can get a little hard but it will pass.

All in all, with every surgery the recovery does gets easier. I had heard of this but now I can tell you from experience. My first c-section was definitely the hardest. By the second, it was so smooth and calm. I was up and walking right away and felt great, I was even sent home early! By the third, physically I was even better than the second but emotionally it was a different story but that's because of the crazy year we've had with this pandemic. The emotions and hormones were on another level. But all in all my physical recovery was great. I feel really good and I am happy to share that the third time around is definitely easier than the first.

I really hope this post helps answer some questions and raw truths of what to expect and finally to confirm that c-sections are still beautiful and definitely do get easier as the years go by. Just remember, doctors perform these surgeries daily and they are pros. You will do great mama! Prayer and positive vibes!

beauty hair care tips haircare routine hairfood long haircare tips

3 TIPS ON TAKING CARE OF YOUR HAIR THIS SUMMER

June 25, 2020

So, while we are still quarantining around here, summer has officially arrived, thank you Mother Nature! Therefore, we are making the best of our time at home and that means setting up our yard and making it fun, pretty and enjoying as much time outdoors in the pool, as possible. With that said I am taking care of my hair even more this summer so that the heat, pool water and humidity don't ruin my long locks!

A few months ago, I shared my hair care journey with Hair Food and I've been using the products since the beginning of the year and honestly, I can't stop, won't stop! Now that I am almost 8 months pregnant my hair has never been more luscious and healthy. So, for today's post I wanted to share my love for Hair Food and how I use the Manuka Honey & Apricot Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner & the Avocado Oil & Shea Nourishing Hair Butter this summer to maintain my long healthy locks shiny and moisturized. Here are 3 tips on how you should be taking care of your hair this summer!

Tip No. 1: Stay away from chlorine as much as possible. I normally tie my hair up in a bun (you can also do a a nice braid updo!) when going in the pool. Sure I like to get wild and go underwater some days but I keep that to a minimum. Chlorine is known for drying out your hair and breaking it so make sure you have a good moisturizing shampoo like Manuka Honey & Apricot Moisture Shampoo.

Tip No. 2: Wear a sun hat! You guys have seen me wear summer hats all over IG all season long this spring and of course I will be doing the same this summer. First, they add such a cute vibe to any summer day (or outfit!) and second they protect your hair from the sun! You are welcome!

Tip No. 3: Don't skip your conditioner! Whether it's summer, fall, winter or spring. You hair needs conditioner all year round. I use the Manuka Honey & Apricot Moisture Conditioner every time I wash my hair. I don't wash it often, only about two times a week. This conditioner leaves my hair feeling healthy and smooth. Then I just towel dry and done. Pro tip: Finish it off using their the Avocado Oil & Shea Nourishing Hair Butter!

And that's it you guys! Whether you are out enjoying summer this season or making the best out of your backyard, make sure you protect your hair, long or short! Moisturize, moisturize and yea, moisturize. Happy summer 2020 you guys... let's try to make the best of these days.