The Family Files - Can Siblings With Big Age Differences Get Along Well?

These kids of mine are truly something special. They are all so different for the most part, yet have some striking similarities. Their ages are now 22, 20, and soon-to-be 9. It's funny, I often call William an "only child" because his sisters are adults. The nice part is that his big sisters come home from work/school and are fully ready to do child-like things with him. He always complains that his siblings are his biggest botherers 😆The girls are fully obsessed with their little brother. Every little thing he does is so cute to them. Oh, and the fact that he is the most adorable little thing makes everything even cuter! This is why they stay in his face. 

The older siblings do indeed start stuff with the little one. William will be so calm and quiet all day until they get home. That's when the adult children start to behave like little children. I admit, it's a lot of fun seeing the bond between the three of them. William will be the first one to get sad if one of his sisters have to go out of town or are spending the night away from home. By the way, he calls them "my girls". He asks me all day, "When will my girls be home?" And when they do finally get home.....

There are so many days where my husband and I listen to those kids laugh together, talk to each other through the walls, or get into some sort of mischief that results in all of them getting yelled at. It reminds us of how very blessed we are to have children who really love each other and enjoy time together. Our biggest hope is that they will be this way forever.

Do you have children with big age differences? Do they get along well?

Curly Q's for Curly Kids (Review)

Being a mom of three biracial kids means I have been through my fair share of taming the beast known as, "the curls". The fact that I am Indian and have straight hair made it very difficult to know what to do with all of those curls! I recall trying dozens of products to help make it easier to handle and a whole lot of trial and error. Fast forward to today... my girls handle their own hair (thank God) and my son's hair is a lot easier to maintain for the most part. I do sometimes have issues with his hair getting too poofy and it just doesn't look good. I received a couple of products made by Curly Q's to test out on my little one's hair. I got the Coconut Dream Conditioner and Curly Q Milkshake Light Curl Lotion.

The first thing that really stood out to me is that the bottles say "Curl care fit for a Prince or Princess". I like that since my son would question me on what I am putting on his hair. He has that manly man thing going on that he gets from his dad, so I love that it says, 'Prince'.

Now the real question is, does it work well? I shampooed William's hair, rinsed and then put a little bit of the Coconut Dream conditioner on. I'm glad I only used a tiny bit because it is extra rich and emollient-- a little goes a long way. William immediately told me that it smelled yummy. I agreed, you can instantly smell coconut and when he rinsed his hair out, all you could feel is softness.

I put a tiny amount of the Curly Q Milkshake to keep his curls under control and it really does give them a more polished look. His hair stays very soft and manageable without getting poofy. I have been so pleased with how his hair has been looking and others have noticed as well. My oldest daughter (20) borrowed both products while we were on vacation last week and she fell in love with them. It is hard for her to find products that work well with her curls and she has spent a small fortune trying different things out.

I love how the Curly Q's site explains full details on all of their products. It makes the selection process a lot easier. Their prices are competitive yet fair for what you get. I don't ever mind paying for quality. Curly Q's offers a variety of hair products for all ages including a line exclusively for babies and kids. I wish Curly Q's was available when my girls were little. I think it would have made doing hair less stressful.

If you have curly haired kids or if you have curly hair, I highly suggest you try out the Curly Q's line of products. Be sure to check out their website and follow them on Facebook and Twitter for product promotions and updates.

I received product samples for review purposes and all opinions are 100% my own as always. 

Wordless Wednesday- What Happiness Looks Like

This photo was taken at a recent field trip to the zoo with William's kindergarten class.

Playing with my later-in-life curls with Ouidad

For the first 35 years of my life, I had the most straight hair. It was so straight that I could wash it, let it air-dry and it would come out completely silky-straight. Now that I'm 40, it's safe to say that my hormones have changed and it has affected my hair quite a bit. I now have some loose curls and waves that have to be tamed for my hair to look neat. I received some products from Ouidad for review. 

Pictured are; Ouidad's PlayCurl Volumizing Stying Spray and Ouidad Salon Series Mongongo Mulit-use Oil Treatment. 

I decided to test out the PlayCurl volumizing spray to see what it would do to my hair. I washed and conditioned my hair with some Ouidad products I have from a previous review and sprayed my towel-dried hair with the PlayCurl product. I then very lightly diffused my hair, but left it pretty damp to finish off air drying. This is the result....

I really love how more defined my waves are and my hair had a lot of body and volume. Even my husband noticed my fuller hair! I have also used the spray to blow dry with and it adds a nice boost of volume. I really like it. I do still have some straighter parts, but the extra volume seems to mask it well. 

My older daughter tried out the Mongongo Oil Treatment in her hair. She has been trying to maintain her natural curls and has had the hardest time finding a good moisturizer. She applied the treatment into towel-dried hair and lightly diffused. Here is the end result. Gorgeous, huh? After using the product for 2 weeks, she is still happy with it and says it really works. 

You can find these Ouidad products on the Oiudad website and at ULTA stores. The PlayCurl Volumizing Styling Spray comes in a 8.5 ounce bottle and retails for $22. The Mongongo Oil treatment comes in 2 ounces for $36 and 4 ounces for $58. 

You can also find Ouidad on Facebook and Twitter. There are some great tutorials for curls of all kinds on their website and Youtube channel. 

I received complimentary products samples in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own. 

Ouidad 2013 Holiday Kits- Eat, Drink & Be Curly!

Winter weather has already hit many cities all over the country. Colder temperatures can affect your hair, especially curls. My older daughter has been wearing her hair natural curls for about 6 months now. She was flat ironing for years and finally decided to try wearing it in its natural state. The upside to that decision is that it is so much easier than using the flat iron. The downside is that you have to use the right products to keep your curls looking soft and shiny or else you end up with a big frizz ball. She went through that awkward transition of having the outer layers look stringy since they were straight from flat iron abuse and the underneath layers had a lot more springy curls. It took about 3-4 months and her hair has almost returned to its natural curly state.

She was very excited to try out some products from the Ouidad Holiday 2013 collection called "Eat, Drink & Be Curly".  This set contains 8.5 oz sizes of Curl Quencher Shampoo, Conditioner and Gel. The retail value of these products are $54 but can be purchased in this gift set for only $40.

She posted this photo on Instagram and said, "Ouidad products are the best thing I have ever used for my curls".

I am so glad she found something that makes her hair feel soft and shiny. I highly recommend these products for anyone who needs some curl control. A little goes a long way, so I feel like that offsets the cost. Believe me, my daughter has tried everything and this is the first time she has actually been happy with the results. 

Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Beginning Wednesday, November 27th though Tuesday, December 3rd, head to Ouidad.com to receive 20% off all orders during check out. 25% is also available for orders over $60! There are several Holiday Kits to choose from and they are perfect for winter upkeep.

I received products from Ouidad for review purposes. All opinions are 100% mine as always. 

Wordless Wednesday- William's 'Pete the Cat' Pumpkin Book Report Project

Dark and Lovely Beautiful Beginnings product line for girls (Giveaway) 4 Winners

Does your daughter have hard to manage hair? I know when my daughters were younger, it was a big struggle getting a comb through their super thick, curly hair. They would get so aggravated every time we had to wash/condition it and I can remember the countless tears! A great option for little girls with hard to manage curls is the Beautiful Beginnings line of hair-care products from Dark and Lovely. The relaxer kits come in two formulas: No-Mistake® Smooth Relaxer
No Mistake® Nourishing No-Lye Crème Relaxer and the No-Mistake® Curl Softener. Whether you want to straighten your daughter's hair or just loosen the curls a bit, Beautiful Beginnings might be just what you need! The full line of maintenance products include: shampoo, deep conditioner, detangler, conditioning oil moisturizer and curl cream. The whole product line is infused with coconut oil and Shea butter to help moisturize and protect your daughter's delicate hair.

I am so pleased that the folks from Dark and Lovely are offering up 4 complete sets of products including the relaxer kit and all maintenance products for 4 lucky Momfiles readers to win! Enter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on November 29, 2012. Four winners will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Be sure to follow giveaway rules in Rafflecopter. Good luck!

Dark and Lovely provided me with a FREE products to review and all thoughts/opinions are 100% my own.

Pert Plus & Infusium 23 for back-to-school {Giveaway}

Closed- Winner is Heather! Congratulations!

Back-to-school is in full swing and we are super busy around here! Both girls have their regular school schedules, volleyball and their extra curricular activities. Thinking about their hair seems to be an added stress these days. It is essential that they girls have the right products to keep them looking their best. Infusium 23’s Repair & Renew collection offers just a little more luxury to their usual haircare routine. This three-step system provides protection from daily elements and styling, leaving hair healthy, shiny and damage-free all year long. Repair & Renew Shampoo thoroughly cleanses to remove residue and buildup while nourishing from root to tip. Repair & Renew Conditioner seriously hydrates stressed locks, providing softness, manageability and shine. Repair & Renew Leave-In Treatment restores healthy texture and strengthens hair against future damage.These products work so well on both of my daughters' biracial hair. They have both been happy with how soft their hair has been since using the 3-step collection. I even tried a little of the leave-in treatment my 4 year old son's hair and it made a huge difference. His hair is less poofy and looks a lot smoother.

Now back-to-school is not only for the kids, but parents too! I am always ripping and running all over the place and have to do my best to manage my time. This is why I love Pert Plus 2-in-1. I am a wash-n-go kind of lady so this 2-in-1 works well for me. It gives me just the right amount of moisture and does not leave any residue. It's great for daily use and is safe for color-treated hair. I love the way it leaves my hair smelling. Pert Plus comes in 5 varieties so you can find one to suit your hair care needs. You just can't beat getting the job done in one easy step! 

How would you like to win some of the products featured here? One lucky Momfiles will win a Pert Plus and Infusium 23 gift pack. Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on September 20, 2012. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

I received product samples for review and all thoughts/opinions are completely my own.

Braces update

Brie has been in braces for about a year and 5 months now. Last year in December, she had oral surgery to have a baby tooth removed and to expose the adult tooth that has been growing in the roof of her mouth. It's hard to believe that she still had a baby tooth in the front at the age of 15! Not only that, it would not budge!! She got the tooth extracted at the dentist and went to a specialist for the other part. She had to be asleep for the procedure. It was a rough recovery at first, but luckily she was back to normal within a few days. Now her adult tooth has joined in with the rest of her teeth and is coming along well. We have seen a dramatic change so far and it looks like we will stay on schedule and she will have them on about another year and a half. She recently had some raised fillings put on a couple of her back teeth to help control her chewing. She was devastated and thought she would not be able to eat normally. Well that was short lived.  To say that you are required to watch a video on all the things to avoid with braces apparently meant nothing for Brie! She finds a way to enjoy all of her favorite foods with the exception of crunchy granola.

Thankfully her journey with braces has not been too bad. It has been really neat watching the transformation. The expense is enormous, but well worth every dime we are putting into it :)

Sisters in print | High School memories

It is that time of year again... end of the school year and yearbooks! Both girls got their high school yearbook yesterday and I asked them if they were in it besides the class photo. They told me there was a shot of the two of them together and casually showed it to me.

I screamed out loud like whaaaat??!!! Those are my babies!! I was so thrilled to see that they were a part of a feature they did on students that share the same house and school. They thought I was crazy with how excited I was seeing them together in the yearbook. I think it is neat that they can look back at this many years from now and remember those times. I still glance through my high school yearbooks from time to time.

Just seeing how happy and vibrant they are when they are hanging out warms my mommy heart. It is such a wonderful thing when siblings, especially teenagers get along so well. I tell them all the time that they have a best friend for life! I love my girls so much! I just had to share this with you all.

Have a great weekend! :)

New fish, Happy kid and the Pet Store Mafia

For William's 4th birthday we purchased him an aquarium. He has a slight obsession with fish so we figured it would be a great thing for him to have. We kept it simple and went with a 10 gallon tank but opted to get the better filtration and lighting system. When we purchased everything to set the tank up, the customer service people at the pet store were very knowledgeable and willing to answer questions and give advice. We always had an aquarium for the girls when they were younger and had great success with it. As a matter of fact, the fish would sometimes get so big that we would have to donate them to the classrooms at the school. We went ahead and started off with all of what we needed to set the tank up and get the water ready to add fish. Back in the day we added fish within 24 hours. Nowadays they recommend 3 weeks! 3 weeks?? Try telling that to a 4 year old!

How happy does he look? 

We went yesterday to purchase some fish and boy was William excited. He made up his own song about going to the pet store to buy some fish. Too funny! We decided on a few glofish in cool, neon colors, a couple "Mickey Mouse"platys and a couple fancy tetras. When I asked the person in that area for help in purchasing the fish he immediately had that "look" on his face. This is how the interrogation... um conversation went...

Fish guy: Do you have your tank set up?
Me: Yes.
FG: Are you sure it is done properly?
Me: Yes
FG: How many fish do you want?
Me: 6
FG: What size is your tank? (At this point he is in my face looking at me like he is a prosecutor or something)
Me: 10 gallons
FG: Hmm, okay. But remember the rules... 1 inch of fish per gallon. Then he stares at me all scary.
Me: Uh, okay

If you could have seen his body language and heard his tone you would have been afraid of even breathing the wrong way. Like the husband says, they are like undercover PETA representatives or something! DANG! I mean come on, they are just fish. If I choose to buy 50 of them then I should be allowed to do so.

In the end, our boy is completely happy and enjoying his new pets. He is so curious and asks a lot questions about his fish. We look forward to adding some more fun friends as time goes on. We might have to rethink where to buy them from so we don't feel like we might catch a beat-down from the pet store mafia! :)

Wordless Wednesday

Women- Can't we just be happy with what we have?

I love my kids' beautiful bi-racial hair. Their curls are so fun and versatile. They can do so much with their hair unlike mine. If I try to make it do anything it ends up sliding out of the style. Chardie is the typical 16 year old girl obsessed with her hair and looking in every mirror she walks by. She does not care for her natural curls. She opts to straighten it with the CHI flat iron.

Look at how much hair this girl has!! Now this photo is of her brushed out hair so it's not normally poofy like that. When she puts more moisturizer in it her curls are amazing.

Here's what it looks like with the first few bottom layers straightened.

Here's the finished product.

I always tell my girls how lucky they are that they can go straight or curly and always look pretty. They both feel that straight hair is better. Geez, what I wouldn't give for some curls! I guess no matter what your age is, most women always want the opposite of what they have when it comes to hair.

Christmas 2010- Ismail kids

Every year we take a photo of the kids for Christmas. I end up taking at least 20 shots and for some reason the very first shot always seems to be the best one. I love comparing every year to see how much they have grown.

Look at that silly grin!

Someone does not always cooperate. He smiles and pays attention after the camera flashes.

Sometimes stupid just comes out

I was at the grocery store this weekend with the kids. I was shopping in the later part of the evening so I was not as familiar with some of the night shift workers. I got in line to pay for my stuff and the cashier was staring at my kids. She then asks me if the girl was my daughter (meaning Briahnna). I told her yes and that all 3 of the kids were mine. She then goes on to say (in front of my kids and other people around) "Oh, I did not think she was your child since her skin is dark and her hair is different". All of our mouths were on the floor and in my head I cussed somethin' nasty. Of course I am a lady and I told her that she was indeed my daughter. The lady then feels like an ass and makes some other comment about hair straightening and I just took my receipt and left. I felt so bad for Brie since she looked like she was confused. How could someone say something so ignorant and stupid and make a kid feel bad? I told the girls that I was really annoyed about what she said and they both told me they too were very annoyed. We spoke about it for a few minutes and had to chalk it up to ignorance and the fact that just because you are blood related to someone does not mean you are supposed to look like them. I think it took me 24 hours to get over it. I just know that people should never assume anything when they see that kids of the same family do not look alike. I have seen families with kids of multiple races and it does not phase me. I just know that I reassured all my children that they are all beautiful and uniquely themselves. There will never be anyone else like them in the world.