Giving Thanks

Thankful 

I am Thankful for my salvation and eternal life.  We are so Thankful for our health and family.  I am Thankful for the well being of my children and wife.  I am Thankful for my clients and friends.  I am Thankful for our staff, Liane and Leticia, Jenifer and Lexie.  I am Thankful for Addison, my son, who has allowed me to learn grace.  I am Thankful for Amanda creating this message and for her hard work as school and home.  Without you, I would not have a business to provide for my family.  You are the lifeblood of my business and without you, I would not be able to assist in protecting your life, your property, your cars and your business.  I am so grateful that you trust Jenifer and I with your children as they drive to school, or to a friends home.  With so many changes to our world today, let us focus on our local community.  Share with peace and love.  Always remember that the little things we do count.  I am Thankful for being able to share this message with you and for  allowing me to always strive to improve and better our relationship.  Be Thankful that we live in a country that allows us to choose.  Right or wrong, I am Thankful for my ability to choose.  Many, many blessings from our Family to you.  

Peace and Love, The Domingo's


Autumn is finally here. The fall season in New York sure is different than the steady weather in Carlsbad, California. Our leaves are changing, the wind is blowing, and the air is getting more crisp. There isn’t a better time to reflect than the month of Thanksgiving on all the things and people we are thankful for. Sometimes I get caught up and consumed in my own busy daily life and I forget about all the the small things in life that I have to be thankful for. It’s always good to reflect and remember the things we take for granted, and let the people who we are thankful for know that they are appreciated. A simple thank you can go a long way for a person.

My Top 5 Thank You's:

My Family

Without them I have no clue where I would be. Thank you for all answering my never ending calls to rant about random things and the never ending love that each and every one of you show me daily

My Health

Fortunately, I am an athlete and I have the health and well being to be able to continue to be.

     
Softball

Thank you for giving me an endless escape. I cannot thank this game enough for shaping me into the person I am and giving me my competitive edge, work ethic, and passion in life.

    
My Friends/Teammates

I appreciate each one for helping me through daily struggles, providing me with countless laughs, and teaching me life lessons. Whether they know it or not, I’ve learned more valuable lessons from being with them on and off the field than I probably ever will in a classroom.

     
My Boyfriend

He probably hears thank you the least, but he is my "go-to". He provides me with the feeling of family and security while I am away from home, and I know he would do anything for me. For that, I am forever thankful for helping me during the most stressful time in my life thus far.

Mid-Terms Management 

As mid-terms have just passed and the end of the semester is finally approaching, I know how stressful school can get. Having to balance athletics and academics is one of the most challenging things. It is hard to find time and give 100% of your effort into both. I know how stressful some days can get, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Here are my go to tactics I use when I am struggling with stress. 

Breathe. 

Take 5 deep breaths and tell yourself it will all be okay. 

Get active.

Whether it is a walk outside, a jog around the block, or some jumping jacks in your dorm room, staying active will keep your endorphin's pumping.

Call a friend.

My go to calls are my sister and brother. Venting always helps, not matter how hard I like to think I am fine and can handle everything inside. Letting things out with people we are close to, and with people who are willing to listen can lift a huge weight off your shoulders. 

Make a list.

When I feel like I have a million things to do, I find it helpful to organize my thoughts on a sticky note. Then when i accomplish something I feel rewarded by crossing it off. 

Keep doing the "little" things right. 

Everything can get so overwhelming at times, and when it does I just keep telling myself it will all pay off in the end. Don't let a stressful couple of days throw you off. I always like to remember this simple quote, "hard work beats talent". 

NYC ft. Mom and Me 

Speaking of being thankful... I was fortunate enough to have my mom come out for a quick visit this fall. It was just the motivation I needed to me push through this fall semester. Although we only had a weekend together, I made sure to take advantage of all the time we had. It is always nice to have a hug from home. Mom, thank you for coming all the way out here- I appreciated it more than you know. 

Restaurant Review 

While my mom was visiting we went to a new place we found just walking to Prospect Park called Healthy Nibbles. It is an all organic, vegan, and gluten free restaurant that serves fresh juices, smoothies, breakfast sandwiches, salads, wraps, and burritos. If you are looking for something on the healthier side that tastes delicious, I highly recommend! 

Black Friday

Here is a little background on Black Friday.  All information is provided by history.com. 

"The true story behind Black Friday, however, is not as sunny as retailers might have you believe. Back in the 1950s, police in the city of Philadelphia used the term to describe the chaos that ensued on the day after Thanksgiving, when hordes of suburban shoppers and tourists flooded into the city in advance of the big Army-Navy football game held on that Saturday every year. Not only would Philly cops not be able to take the day off, but they would have to work extra-long shifts dealing with the additional crowds and traffic. Shoplifters would also take advantage of the bedlam in stores to make off with merchandise, adding to the law enforcement headache. 

By 1961, “Black Friday” had caught on in Philadelphia, to the extent that the city’s merchants and boosters tried unsuccessfully to change it to “Big Friday” in order to remove the negative connotations. The term didn’t spread to the rest of the country until much later, however, and as recently as 1985 it wasn’t in common use nationwide. Sometime in the late 1980s, however, retailers found a way to reinvent Black Friday and turn it into something that reflected positively, rather than negatively, on them and their customers. The result was the “red to black” concept of the holiday mentioned earlier, and the notion that the day after Thanksgiving marked the occasion when America’s stores finally turned a profit. (In fact, stores traditionally see bigger sales on the Saturday before Christmas.) 

The Black Friday story stuck, and pretty soon the term’s darker roots in Philadelphia were largely forgotten. Since then, the one-day sales bonanza has morphed into a four-day event, and spawned other “retail holidays” such as Small Business Saturday/Sunday and Cyber Monday. Stores started opening earlier and earlier on that Friday, and now the most dedicated shoppers can head out right after their Thanksgiving meal. According to a pre-holiday survey this year by the National Retail Federation, an estimated 135.8 million Americans definitely plan to shop over the Thanksgiving weekend (58.7 percent of those surveyed), though even more (183.8 million, or 79.6 percent) said they would or might take advantage of the online deals offered on Cyber Monday."

• Although the deals may be great, don't forget to spend time with your family and friends over this holiday season. 
• "Family is always going to be there, the material things, they come and go." - Romeo Miller 

Thanks for reading! God bless, and enjoy your holiday season.

XOXO,

Amanda