our week

Baby Frank turned three months this past week. No longer the little itty bitty newborn but a big yummy baby filled with giggles and smiles for us. 

Both Jeremiah and Audrey are recovering from a bad cold. We've been staying in jammies a little longer, watching a little extra tv, and enjoying warm drinks.

Here are some more pictures from this week....

Filled Audrey's closet with great finds from Misha Lulu's trunk show and gave Karen and Ana extra big hugs.

A yummy brunch hosted by Ana at Fig Restaurant. Got a chance to share it with some extra special bloggers while we shared our thoughts with @timetoplay on what we look for when choosing toys. We came to the conclusion that toy makers need to listen to parents more...

sharing funny faces

I'm cleaning house today and having friends and family over tomorrow.

So much to be thankful for...

Marcela xoxo

Audrey

"I love you more than all the unicorns", I overheard her say to Kip, while I folded laundry and he tucked her into bed. 

And although it's such an Audrey thing to say...I know she meant every word. 

She gives the biggest snuggles (Kip and I fight over them all the time) and kisses baby and dog every time she passes by. 

She tells me her secrets...and tells me not to tell no one, not even brother. I keep them. And hope she'll always find someone to confide in, in me.

There are those times, sometimes it seems like all the time, when I know I'm being tested....

when I just can't stand one more minute, when I'm about to breakdown, when time outs are given and privileges taken away... when seconds later I want to hold her in my arms and tell her that I love her. 

She has given me so much...has shown me that it's things like jumping over puddles that I will remember most...

The other day, Kip was off from work and volunteered to take care of  baby Frank so Audrey and I could spend some time together. We decided on the zoo, we shared lunch as soon as we got there, I asked her what animals she wanted to see and she said, "a unicorn or a narwhal". I had to google narwhal because I had no idea what it was and of coarse she did. 

I told her we weren't going to find either one at the zoo. She was sure we would. And sure enough we found a unicorn. I told her she deserved two rides on the carousel and cotton candy since she had found a unicorn. 

Today, we are home, it's a rainy day in LA and 

this is how our conversation went when she saw the rain...

"mom!, you ruined the day!"

how? I say. 

"you let there be a thunder storm!" as she marches off...

the weekend

Hi there! It's Monday afternoon and I haven't done much at all today other than an early doctors appointment.  It's been a lazy but much needed kind of day. I felt like coffee this morning so I made myself a latte with extra whip cream on top! And let the kids have popsicles before lunch!

It was a fun and busy weekend. Friday night Kip and I went out to dinner and a movie. I keep taking advantage of these dates because I know once baby arrives it will be really hard for us to want to leave baby for hours at a time. 

Saturday I had the most amazing time with mom, my sisters and a couple girlfriends. We headed up to Santa Barbara Spa Del Mar for a spa day. I got my first ever pregnancy massage! It was great and really makes my list of must have's during pregnancy. Carrying this big belly gets me really tired sometimes and that made my muscles feel so relaxed. I also got a much needed facial....the spa...heaven really. 

We had lunch there and then spent the afternoon in the pool. 

We then rented surrey bikes and pedaled through the beach walk. After our bike workout we were all hungry, felt like having tacos and hit up Lilly's Tacos, a local spot for the yummiest beef, pork and veggie tacos. 

Mom treated all of us to coffee post dinner and we all headed home very satisfied from a perfect day. 

It was really awesome to be able to have a girls day filled with fun and relaxation in celebration of baby's soon to be arrival and my birthday later this month. Kip was really great about staying with the kids and even daysitting my moms dog!

I got home so ready to slip in bed with Kip and Audrey and slept really good that night.

Sunday morning I stayed in bed late and then we all got ready to visit friends and enjoy their pool and yummy BBQ! The kids had a blast and it was hard to get them out of the pool when it was time to go home. 

We got home last night with just enough time for Kip and I to get kids ready for bed and to catch up on one of our shows. 

What were you up to this weekend?

BlogHer 11

I'm home, with mi familia.
Attempting to get off this BlogHer high, I think It will be days (and nights) before I recover.

with Cristina, Dariela and Ana @ the cheeseburgher party

The trip was amazing yet exhausting. Somehow I managed to run a 5K, hug women all weekend long, watch a movie, attend a yoga class, party, dance, eat (like all the time) and fill my bags with way too much "stuff".

with Cristina

The car ride to and from San Diego was definitely one of my highlights...

Dodge was awesome for lending us a car (a Dodge Caravan) for the ride....

Not only did we fill that car up with shoes (why is it that a girl always has to pack so many shoes?), most of the time it was also filled with friends, so many laughs memories and of coarse tweets. ( :

with Eva, Dariela, Rachel, and Catalina @ the ocbloggerbash

I know you hear about how many brands and opportunities are at these sort of things (and I guess they are) but the reality is that the people that read you, and the people you read are there. These are are the true connections that are made. This is why I blog. And when I get to sleep in the same bed, act silly for what seems an eternity trying to get out of the parking lot, walk with them barefoot down the street at night ( ; ... or hear them speak at a session on how passionate they are.... it becomes obvious why exactly I attended

with Liz

and most obvious why I enjoy blogging so much.

Ok, off now to get me some Audrey, Jeremiah and Kip...I missed them...

*Dodge provided a Dodge Caravan for the ride to San Diego including a gift card for gas, parking and  snacks. 

Photo Books from Shutterfly (a Giveaway)

Iv'e been playing on Shutterfly, creating a photo book... and oh my is it fun! I can't make up my mind on what theme I love the best. I think the recipe photo book has to be one of my favorites...  a photo book gift with family recipes, photos of food/family enjoying them and history behind the yummy dishes.

  A treasure for sure.  

Shutterfly is gifting me with a photo book (yay!), I'm thinking of a summer theme filled with pictures of Jeremiah and Audrey, the beach, outdoor parties, family....

and while Iv'e been playing I thought of how many thank you cards I need to send all my favorite people... how do you manage all the thank you card sending?

Wouldn't these be super fun? 

and since I'm on the topic of how late I am on thank you's maybe I should start my Christmas cards 

now. (:

Have you ever given a photo book as a gift or received one?  

I think they are just the perfect gift!

Win it!

Shutterfly wants you to have a photo book too!

Leave me any topic related comment by 12pm August 4th, I will randomly choose 10 of you to win a free photo book! Leave your email (if it's not in your profile) so I can reach you. 

For extra entries you can follow me via google friend or facebook. Leave one comment for each.

*Have a blog? Get a free photo book from Shutterfly? 

* a photo book was given to me for sharing with you along with an offer to do a giveaway on my blog. I loved, and thought you would love to...

*Giveaway now closed winners: shawnac68, color land, peach prenni, Aurelia, terri 142, Mollly, Rae, Susan, Donna, snow

audrey's 3rd birthday

Somehow...without me realizing how fast..Audrey turned three.

We celebrated with a big party in the backyard.  It happened to fall on one of the hottest weekends here... I was so scared we'd have kids falling over from the heat...

but somehow pitchers and pitchers of water (sprinkled with lime wedges and watermelon chunks), raspberry iced tea with chia seeds, cold beer....

and ice cream kept every one feeling yummy and cool inside.

We had Carmela Ice Cream bring their delicious ice cream over...cucumber sorbet, strawberry buttermilk, brown sugar vanilla bean and lavender honey...(I know what your thinking...and yes it really is that good!).

Audrey's favorite things right now:

ice cream, arts and crafts, bubbles

and this was kind of the theme of her party

We set up an arts and crafts table so the kiddies could decorate their own goodie bags. Glitter pens, stickers, crayons, glue... so much fun (thanks Gaby for supervising the arts and crafts table).

I bought a bubble machine....

and bubbles flew all over the backyard, definitely a favorite with all the kids. 

I have more pictures and words ....

(but have to get ready for work now)

to be continued....

Jelly Beans (our Easter celebration)

On nights leading to Easter, I had been reading Here Comes Easter! to Audrey.  It's about a little girl who has an egg hunt in her home, she then finds a jelly bean trail that ends with a sweet surprise. 

I thought an egg hunt around the home would be perfect for the kids on Easter morning instead of an Easter basket.  I hid 6 small eggs for each and a large one filled with a surprise.  They had so much fun on their hunt. 

Audrey finds the eggs... and then says to me... "where the jelly beans?"

I seriously didn't even think about making a jelly bean trail...but from the story this was definitely part of Easter morning.  Right?

I didn't have jelly beans.  And she asked about them all day!  Kip says to me "why didn't you get jelly beans?"(it was obvious to everyone except me I guess).

We went out to buy some because she just couldn't do without jelly beans for Easter. 

She finally followed a trail to a big surprise (grandmas Easter basket).  

And then it was definitely Easter!

We went to mass early morning and then had lunch with friends and family.  My garden is beautiful right now, filled with Spring, so we set up picnic tables outside and had a most non traditional Easter meal... pinchos (skewers), wild rice, green salad, and a yummy tomato and mozzarella salad, champagne, wine (sparkling cider for the kids) and ofcoarse ...

torrejas for dessert. 

(which are my jelly beans... you can't do Easter without)

The kids (and adults) enjoyed Cascarones (confetti filled eggs)...

and I still have trails of confetti in my backyard. ( :

What's your jelly beans?

spring break

It's spring break here in these parts.

I dedicated the morning to cleaning the house and supposedly potty training.  

It went okay actually.  I vacuumed and mopped and did two loads of laundry. 

Audrey didn't go in her diapers. 

She pooped in her brothers room instead. ( :

"mom! Audrey pooped on my floor!"

We met friends for a picnic at the park.  Audrey insisted on taking her rain boots and Jeremiah has the biggest afro ever (brushing it does nothing) ...and refuses to cut it.  

Audrey fed her sandwich to the birds and then made it very clear she only wanted chips for lunch.

And my best friend and I, talked and talked, and I let go of feelings that really needed to come out.  

We ate sliced watermelon and cucumbers con limon. 

The kids are dirty now, Kip and I joke that they are a shade darker.  

I can smell fries in the oven.  Chicken burgers and fries for dinner tonight. 

And I think my body and my brain deserve a run this evening...

somewhere far from here....

Iv'e been full of feelings, and emotions.  Highs and lows.

Struggling to keep it together, I find a way to pretend.

Everything felt so right. Then, as quick as everything good was inside me, it went away and I feel lost.

I'm trying to find a way to come to peace with it all.


Last night I went out to dinner.  Leaving my thoughts closed up I focused on enjoying conversations and friends.  For that little bit, I realized how life is always meant to move on, no matter what your going through right now.

As I drove home I thanked God for giving me strength.

When I got home everyone was tucked in bed asleep.

Audrey popped out from under the covers, "mama?".

"Si, es mama linda". 

Kip put his arm around me.

And everything really isn't so bad.

for Japan

Pray.  Donate. 

Join Utterly Engaged and Ever Ours in this amazing thing they are doing. 

wine tasting with fresh & easy

The house was quiet (grandma had just picked up the kids).  I almost thought of telling Kip, let's just stay home, order take out, watch a movie and maybe....

It's not often we have the house to ourselves. ( :

Instead... we talked our way through traffic to the smog shoppe for a Fresh and Easy wine tasting event.  I really liked having Kip join me.  He usually has baby duty when I get invites like this but spending that time with him was really nice. 

Some of you already know, I am a big fan of fresh and easy.  Food is good, fresh and the stores are just the right size... and the best thing... they always have samples for my kiddies and I. 

Fresh and Easy just introduced 27 new wines. All from California. We got a chance to taste, and have to say that all are great tasting and very affordable.  These selections are perfect whether having guests over for a nice dinner or lounging and chatting with girlfriends. 

I usually tend to go for white wine, but lately red has been my preferred choice.  So much richer and satisfying. The Open Field Pinot Noir was my favorite of the night, a Santa Barbara wine, which makes me realize how soon Kip and I have to plan a trip to Santa Barbara.  I'm dreaming bike rides, the beach, a picnic and a good bottle of red wine. 

via fresh & easy

with Sandrini and Monique

There was so much great food, all prepared by Latina Chef Cynthia Perez.  Her flavor is always perfect. I also have her to thank for the awesome silpat mat she introduced me to.  I'm not quite sure how I baked without it.

Fresh and Easy always throws the best events. Great PR, great food, great drinks, great goodie bags.

And great company by a most great hubby ( :

What is your favorite red or white?  Have you been bike riding recently?

Happy New Year!

I will work tonight.
And ring in the new year with my favorite nurses in the whole wide world ( : What are your New Years Eve party plans?

(I miss Kip, Jeremiah and Audrey already!)

It has been an awesome year.  I love that I can say that.

To a beautiful 2010!  And to a beautiful love filled 2011 to come!

Party hard friends!  Even if it's on your couch with your loved ones ( : You deserve it!

¡Feliz Navidad!

My littles at Christmas:  fills me with joy.

I feel good.
I am happy.
I believe.


These past couple days have been filled with friends and family.
And right this second I can't think of any better.

Sending warm and special  thoughts to all of you this Christmas!

¡Abrazos!

Marcela

Bodega Bay and The Birds

Here are more pictures from my recent trip up North.  Bodega Bay ( the popular filming location of the movie The Birds).  The town is definitely proud of being host to such a popular film.  Little remnants can be spotted throughout the town. 

It's a fun place to visit, we had a scavenger type afternoon looking for all the filming spots ( :

The Tides restaurant (the original restaurant that appeared in the film burned years ago, but a new  Tides stands in it's place...it's a perfect place to get you seafood fix.  Delish.

A little freaky..right?  All the birds flying?!?!

The old school house...remember?

It was a lovely girl filled afternoon.  Yummy food to eat.  Girl conversations in the car.  Talks on the movie.  Talks on birds.  Talk on friends ( :

Sorry for the little posting these days.  I'm really taking the time to enjoy my family during the Holidays.  Will definitely be back soon.  

Real time:  Audrey is running around with cookie sprinkles...I asked her "what are you doing?" ...."nothing" she just responded..... smells like trouble) ( :



Abrazos, 
Marcela

PS.  Have you seen the film?

San Francisco photos....

Still recovering from my trip....

Yet, managed to get Christmas tree up, lights outside, and build a gingerbread house...

I must say...I'm on a roll ( :

Here are some pics from our trip...

What are you up to?

I'm back home....

after a 4 day all girl trip.  San Francisco. With mother in law, sister in law and aunt in law (yes, we get along...lucky...I know).

Our trip was so much fun.  And after all the eating (and drinking) this week.....

Exercise is calling me ( :






I hope all of you are enjoying this lovely December as well...

more on trip to come!

Doy Gracias por...

I woke up this morning and I thanked God I was alive and able to get out of bed and see and hear my kids play.

It's a beautiful day.  The sun is beaming.

We walked to the park today.  And met some friends there for play.

We will have our Thanksgiving meal with family.  Thankful for every bite.

There are mothers in this world who won't be able to feed their children today.  Some aren't able to hold their children in their arms.

Let's hug our families today and tomorrow.  Let's stay home tomorrow.  Stay in pj's.  Drink warm tea.  And forget all the shopping.  There is no need to be at the store at 4am, the best specials are in our home.


Happy Thanksgiving friends!  I am thankful for you!

Just like friends

I watched her, as she filled with new things learned and new adventures.   Our recent trip with friends to The Arboretum. 

Ducks, Peacocks, Koi fish, and Turtles.   

And a house made out of tree. 

I want all of her.  Every little bit of her fills me with happiness. 

Today, Kip and Jeremiah went to the show, us girls stayed behind.  We shared a strawberry smoothie as we sat on the sofa together watching Babies.  When she saw babies breastfeed, she breastfed too.

After the movie.  I painted my toes, and painted her little toes too.  Purple.

We folded laundry as we sang to our favorite songs. 

We laughed, we talked, we shared. Just like friends do.