I woke up this morning overflowing with gratitude and so full of love. I can’t wait to share the magic and the fun I’ve had this past weekend but for now, here’s the best thing that happened to me in the last 365 days. I’ve made a permanent home here on Cloud 9….You pray and wish and manifest and then, before you know it – it’s here…HAPPY birthday to me! 🥰
🗣️🗣️ February 9th you can stream my new movie, ‘Skeletons in the Closet’ on @AMC Its been a while since we filmed it so it’ll be exciting to finally watch! 👀 Thank you SO MUCH to **everyone** involved who helped make it happen after some challenging days ya’ll! Remember the 🐝’s?! 😂🤦🏽♀️ What an adventure!! 🙌🏽 To doing what we love! 🥂💓🙌🏽
I can’t believe summer is technically over! What in the time machine is going on?! 😩 Looking back through my photos and this surprise trip to celebrate my Mamis 70th in Mexico with the family was definitely a HUGE highlight. So many amazing firsts. 😍🙌🏽 2023 is almost over. Halloween stuff is out. 😳😂 Can’t wait to see what the rest of the year has in store. 🥰
A little throwback to a poem I wrote back in 2016! I love looking back and revisiting these pieces. Time and healing is a beautiful thing 🥰 That’s just ‘What Happens’…
Fun fact- I usually get suuuuper anxious before photo shoots!! It always takes a good playlist and an even better team to get me out of my head! @sheilacrawford5 can always tell when I had fun or the vibes weren’t quite right. 🤪😅 Reminiscing on some effortless shoots I’ve had throughout the years with the baddest out there! @stormsantos @amandapeixotoelkins @caseycheekmakeup @lesleybrycefoto @valeriestup 😜 @robiatb @nereidamua @jennylynneapplefield @kathleenmakeup @lornareidhair @brianjamesphoto @robertkazandjian @dilltronik @innasdesigns @ceniany
Years of being on the nice list and I’m oh so grateful for what ‘Santa’ finally brought me this year. 🥰🤗 I’m home for the holidays per usual soaking in every ounce of my ‘why’. Wishing you all a beautiful, safe, and fulfilling holiday season. ¡Feliz Navidad amigos! 😘🎄🙏🏽 📸😘 to @amandapeixotoelkins @kathleenmakeup @lornareidhair @hhcostumes
All my friends know if you want to threaten me with a good time, it has to include something active! 🙌🏽💪🏽💃🏼🏃🏽♀️🐶🧘🏽♀️🏋🏽♀️🥊🚴🏽♀️⛰️ 🍕 <~~~ balance 😂
A few days ago was national couples day, almost 4 months ago was our 1 year anniversary and about a year ago we were planning our Mexico trip for Mami’s 70th surprise! Time. Is. Flying. That’s probably the most consistent thing you’ll hear me talk about. Time! 😩Haha So with that said, just wanted to give this new constant in my life some random (but not so random) IG love. He’s the most patient and present father, the most patient and present boyfriend, and the most patient and present *anything he sets his mind to*. Those two things are incredibly valuable for someone who prides herself on being present but struggles with the seemingly effortless patience he possesses. I remain in awe. Truly. 🥰
This feeling. That moment. I can’t even begin to describe what this week in Beijing, China has been like! So many tearful moments where I still couldn’t believe I had finally made it here. After so many years of dreaming about it, so many months training and so many weeks prepping – I was actually about to run on The Great Wall of China! I’m posting this first because I’d like to ride this incredible high! Ya’ll the race route was tough! 😅 About 3 miles 100% incline before even arriving on the wall! Then a little over 2 miles on the wall and those epic stairs to then finish off my half marathon throughout a flat then hilly village tour. But mi amor kept assuring me, “Trust your training”…and that I did. I didn’t intend on winning the race and I didn’t. 😂 Just FINISHING felt like THE biggest accomplishment. And aghhhhh it really was! Then I saw the results. I placed FIRST in my age group!!! Aghhhhhh!!! I had already felt amazing and to leave with this extra win is indescribable! 🥹🤯 And as most of you already saw, Mami @aracelis9606 came with me and did what they called the “Fun Run” which was 8.5km of that crazy incline and then the wall. I am so proud of her! She was THE ONLY WOMAN in her age group to do those 8.5km! My mom! 😍🫶🏽🙌🏽 I am leaving China with an even bigger appetite for my next adventure challenge and the FULLEST heart! I’ll be sharing more about all the beautiful like minded souls we met and shared this dream with (Los amamos!) and the beautiful places we toured before and after the race in a separate post. I turn 40 later this year and my intention was to kick off my next decade with a bang. This exceeded all of my expectations and then some! 🤗 I can’t wait to continue this epic momentum!
This feeling. That moment. I can’t even begin to describe what this week in Beijing, China has been like! So many tearful moments where I still couldn’t believe I had finally made it here. After so many years of dreaming about it, so many months training and so many weeks prepping – I was actually about to run on The Great Wall of China! I’m posting this first because I’d like to ride this incredible high! Ya’ll the race route was tough! 😅 About 3 miles 100% incline before even arriving on the wall! Then a little over 2 miles on the wall and those epic stairs to then finish off my half marathon throughout a flat then hilly village tour. But mi amor kept assuring me, “Trust your training”…and that I did. I didn’t intend on winning the race and I didn’t. 😂 Just FINISHING felt like THE biggest accomplishment. And aghhhhh it really was! Then I saw the results. I placed FIRST in my age group!!! Aghhhhhh!!! I had already felt amazing and to leave with this extra win is indescribable! 🥹🤯 And as most of you already saw, Mami @aracelis9606 came with me and did what they called the “Fun Run” which was 8.5km of that crazy incline and then the wall. I am so proud of her! She was THE ONLY WOMAN in her age group to do those 8.5km! My mom! 😍🫶🏽🙌🏽 I am leaving China with an even bigger appetite for my next adventure challenge and the FULLEST heart! I’ll be sharing more about all the beautiful like minded souls we met and shared this dream with (Los amamos!) and the beautiful places we toured before and after the race in a separate post. I turn 40 later this year and my intention was to kick off my next decade with a bang. This exceeded all of my expectations and then some! 🤗 I can’t wait to continue this epic momentum!
This feeling. That moment. I can’t even begin to describe what this week in Beijing, China has been like! So many tearful moments where I still couldn’t believe I had finally made it here. After so many years of dreaming about it, so many months training and so many weeks prepping – I was actually about to run on The Great Wall of China! I’m posting this first because I’d like to ride this incredible high! Ya’ll the race route was tough! 😅 About 3 miles 100% incline before even arriving on the wall! Then a little over 2 miles on the wall and those epic stairs to then finish off my half marathon throughout a flat then hilly village tour. But mi amor kept assuring me, “Trust your training”…and that I did. I didn’t intend on winning the race and I didn’t. 😂 Just FINISHING felt like THE biggest accomplishment. And aghhhhh it really was! Then I saw the results. I placed FIRST in my age group!!! Aghhhhhh!!! I had already felt amazing and to leave with this extra win is indescribable! 🥹🤯 And as most of you already saw, Mami @aracelis9606 came with me and did what they called the “Fun Run” which was 8.5km of that crazy incline and then the wall. I am so proud of her! She was THE ONLY WOMAN in her age group to do those 8.5km! My mom! 😍🫶🏽🙌🏽 I am leaving China with an even bigger appetite for my next adventure challenge and the FULLEST heart! I’ll be sharing more about all the beautiful like minded souls we met and shared this dream with (Los amamos!) and the beautiful places we toured before and after the race in a separate post. I turn 40 later this year and my intention was to kick off my next decade with a bang. This exceeded all of my expectations and then some! 🤗 I can’t wait to continue this epic momentum!
This feeling. That moment. I can’t even begin to describe what this week in Beijing, China has been like! So many tearful moments where I still couldn’t believe I had finally made it here. After so many years of dreaming about it, so many months training and so many weeks prepping – I was actually about to run on The Great Wall of China! I’m posting this first because I’d like to ride this incredible high! Ya’ll the race route was tough! 😅 About 3 miles 100% incline before even arriving on the wall! Then a little over 2 miles on the wall and those epic stairs to then finish off my half marathon throughout a flat then hilly village tour. But mi amor kept assuring me, “Trust your training”…and that I did. I didn’t intend on winning the race and I didn’t. 😂 Just FINISHING felt like THE biggest accomplishment. And aghhhhh it really was! Then I saw the results. I placed FIRST in my age group!!! Aghhhhhh!!! I had already felt amazing and to leave with this extra win is indescribable! 🥹🤯 And as most of you already saw, Mami @aracelis9606 came with me and did what they called the “Fun Run” which was 8.5km of that crazy incline and then the wall. I am so proud of her! She was THE ONLY WOMAN in her age group to do those 8.5km! My mom! 😍🫶🏽🙌🏽 I am leaving China with an even bigger appetite for my next adventure challenge and the FULLEST heart! I’ll be sharing more about all the beautiful like minded souls we met and shared this dream with (Los amamos!) and the beautiful places we toured before and after the race in a separate post. I turn 40 later this year and my intention was to kick off my next decade with a bang. This exceeded all of my expectations and then some! 🤗 I can’t wait to continue this epic momentum!
Doing a much needed phone clean up and passed through this photoshoot again. So. Much. Fun! Annnd with a group of supportive, talented, baddies! ~~>> @amandapeixotoelkins @kathleenmakeup @lornareidhair @hhcostumes
I’ll never forget the first time I went back home after Myli passed and my mom left back to Florida. The silence was just sooooo loud. Every empty space seemed to echo her ABSENCE. It’s been 8 months. So many life changes have happened since she crossed the rainbow bridge. And I know people have lost their human family members (myself included) so this feels silly even writing but loss is loss. I did life with her for 16 years. This will be my first Christmas not traveling with her back home. I know she’d love our backyard…So many little things pop in my head. I miss you lil butt! So sooo much. Espero que estas allá con tus bisabuelos y Tío gozándolo todo 🙏🏽🙌🏽🐾🌈 Te quiero mucho mi Myli!!!
How is it November 1st?!? Life has been moving sooo fast and I’ve been staying busy catching up! Lots of amazing lately including a move and extra QT with these two 😍 Olivia requested we be a “Spider Family” so that we were. Ya’ll! Our new neighborhood is straight out of a fairytale orrrr The Truman Show! 🤣 We have the cutest neighbors and they went all out! There were kids and families everywhere!! I haven’t been Trick Or Treating in decades but all I know is people weren’t serving hot dogs, hot cocoa (kid & adult friendly!), caramel apples, and homemade chili! It was pretty impressive. So here’s a quick wrap up of last night. I’ll be posting videos from the move on our TikTok page (@whenDavidMetValery) when I find some extra time. 😅 It might be a while buuuut I’ll get to it! Happy 1st of the month amigos! I hope everyone has been well despite the -hard- that’s happening in the world around us. 🙏🏽😘
It’s the first of the month again!! Aghhh! So much love and life was celebrated in August and my heart couldn’t be fuller! Making this reel took FOREVER! The first one I completely finished and saved wouldn’t load when I was trying to post. 😩🤷🏽♀️ BUT re-making it allowed me to add even more highlights! annnnd it really made my heart happy looking back at such an eventful month for SO MANY different reasons. Thank you to everyone for all the love and support these last several weeks for all the reasons y’all already know! I love you!!! 🙏🏽🙌🏽🥰🥳
Super quick ‘Great Wall of China’ Half Marathon highlight reel! 🥹😍🙌🏽🫶🏽 The shots the marathon team got were awesome. Truly gives perspective on how steep and impressive the wall is! What. A. Dream 🤩 #🥇 #40-45 🥰🥳
Amigos!!! ‘YOUR UNPAID THERAPISTS’ podcast has officially launched! 🥳 This has literally been years in the making! Story time! It all started while I was living in Canada a few years ago. I had a few sad/lonely weeks during the pandemic, we couldn’t leave bc of COVID, we lost more than 4 family members back to back, and I was going through a break up. I was soooo grateful I had my besties to cry to (then coined my Unpaid Therapists!) and simultaneously celebrate the reason I was there to begin with (filming Gabby Duran)! It was a lot of mixed emotions! That led to some convos with @alikona.shizue.b_official about making a show/podcast, to filming an entire ‘Friends’ themed season we didn’t air, to building a mini studio in my place to film the new season, to right – here- now! Aghh! I love how things always end up how it’s supposed to be! 🙌🏽🙏🏽 I want to thank @themattmarr @oneupson and Frank for believing in us, teaching us, being patient with us and hyping us all – the – way up along the way! And @alikona.shizue.b_official Gurrrrl! We would not be where we are today without all of the individual hours you put into our little labor of love! Thank you for your editing skills, your drive, your unmatched work ethic, your friendship and for always being unapologetically – YOU! I’m grateful to have you as one of my Unpaid Therapists in life and getting to share this fun new adventure with you on the mic! Thank you to all of our guests on the show so far! Whew! Those ‘Never Have I Ever’ ice breakers were too good and of course, sharing your time/heart with us and our listeners means so much! So PLEASE enjoy the podcast (link in bio) and leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review! You will be a HUGE part in helping us grow our community. During this stage in launching especially, those reviews are essential! Lastly!!! Come to our VIRTUAL PARTY TODAY at 6:30pmPT/9:30pmET You’ll get a mini LIVE version of the show with @alikona.shizue.b_official and @themattmarr PLUS! We’re answering YOUR ‘Never Have I Ever’ prompts from anyone who shows us a photo (comment or DM us!) of their ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review! 😅 Lets gooo!
Dear *Time I want to throw you in a *capsule and throw away the key! Pack up all of this pressure in hopes I can finally feel free. I’d like to erase you from my features and take the sparkles from my hair. I’d like to get the You back before I obsessed about their care. I long for all the memories You selfishly always claim. I fantasize about the You that’s left because things just aren’t the same. I’ve cried over the You that may take away that dream. I miss the You that promised that it was just as it all seemed. And as I celebrate their You on Earth and flip through this memory dump, I’m focused on all the reasons why You don’t deserve her slump. Your presence is so pompous and Your absence feeds their fears. You bask in all Your glory in their candle every year. And through all of the realities of everything that you define, all of us who still have You thank God for the Devine. …..So I’m here to thank You, my Dear Time. – VALERY MILAGROS ORTIZ
If looks could kill 😳…. @valeryortiz plays Christina, Isabel (@gabrielaaflores )’s mom. Flanked by the wonderful dancing divas!
These photos couldn’t do this year justice but I *tried! Making this recap truly warmed my heart. Thankful for so much love in sooo many different forms. So much care in so many different ways. I can’t say I’m surprised because I’ve prayed and visualized and manifested and have been diligent about the life I’ve wanted. I take pride in the framily I keep. I expected the love I found. I shed a lot of tears to be here now. Celebrating the wind – wherever it will take me next! To more dreams coming true. I’m ready. 🥰🙌🏽🙏🏽 Thank you for your love and support amigos. Thank you for celebrating my wins and mourning my losses as if it were your own. Thank you for seeing things for me before I did. Thank you for believing it was only going to get better. I wish you all good health. And after that – every ounce of whatever it is that lights your heart on fire. Happy New Year! 😘 “Wherever waves can roll and winds can blow” -Churchill *Disclaimer: The app cropped the photos so certain group shots were compromised. If you were there, know I’m celebrating the entire event not just what the photo captured. Just wanted to make that clear bc I was so frustrated with some of the photos!
I am still day dreaming about this most epic adventure. Mami and I went to China to make my dream of racing on #TheGreatWallOfChina a reality. What we didn’t expect, besides me placing first in my age group (😱pero like whaaaa?!?) was meeting (& bonding!) with so many amazing, like minded athletes from all over the world. That part was so special. 🤗 Sending our new amigos so much love! Thank you for making our adventure that much more indescribable! Lots of besos from @aracelis9606 and me!!
We go LIVE!!!
‘El Caminito Inc’ was born decades ago when @hector4k (my big brother!) and I use to go outside and play in the woods as kids. He’d always grab a stick and we’d find whatever looked like “a little path” in the dirt and follow it. One day Hector started singing a song that said “El ca-mi-ni-to que tu querías hacer…” (The little path that you wanted to do…) At least that’s how I remember it! Haha Years later when trying to think of a name for my corporation I felt so much pressure to make it just right. I don’t know what triggered the memory but I instantly thought of this ‘little path’ I’ve been on and all the dreams turned reality as I followed it. So it stuck. 11 years ago today El Caminito Inc was born. ☺️ Then a few years later my brotha from anotha motha @benmarcsilverman and @bubbas_la helped me bring my logo to life! Anyway! We were talking about celebrating the little things on a new episode of my podcast @yourunpaidtherapists and it made me think of this. All of it. The little path. The big path! Every dang stop and detour in between. And I’m grateful. Can’t wait to see all the places ‘El Caminito’ takes me. 🥰 Also! What you hear at the very end: “Lo que yo quería!” is a looooong running joke we still say every Christmas and bdays when opening any gifts. “What I’ve always wanted!” because sweet baby Hector would open the simplest thing and get soooo hyped and scream out “Lo que yo quería!” We’ve kept doing it ever since. Moral of the story: big brothers are a huge influence/inspiration to little sisters. Always. Love you brother! 🥹
