Thanksgiving 2012

Friends, family and good food. So thankful for every single day. 

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...

Mamás para Huggies Campaign

We are back to many diaper changes...a newborn at home...oh my. With all these diaper changes it seems perfect for me to take part in Huggies new campaign Mamás para Huggies, twenty mom bloggers who will share via a series of posts a little bit about Huggies newest spokesparents, their new Huggies Snug and Dry Diapers and Huggies Natural Care Wipes, put these diapers and wipes to the test (on baby Frank :) and personally share some of our parenting challenges.

To start off the campaign we were invited to a live teleconference with Huggies Spokesparent and popular Mexican TV personality Poncho de Anda. He is super sweet! We got a chance to ask him questions and he was just real with his answers.  He shared how his family stays up a little later on Friday nights, how chocolate is sometimes the best way to reward his daughter, and how he reads a children's bible to his kids at night. I can definitely tell he is a hands on dad...and I really love that. 

Poncho and his wife Lina have created a series of webisodes sharing some of their messy moments and real life tips. Here is a fun webisode (in Spanish) starring Poncho and his beautiful family. You can see more of Poncho's webisodes and learn more about Huggies on the Huggies Latino Facebook page.

         

So very happy to be taking part in this campaign....more to come soon....

This is part of a compensated campaign with Latina Mom Bloggers and Huggies.  However, all opinions expressed are my own.

happy 4th!

We just got home from hanging out with family. Hot dogs, hamburgers, grilled corn, ceviche, cheesecake and berry pie. I went straight for the ceviche...not your typical 4th of July dish but definitely one you will find at a Latino get together. 

We enjoyed the day by spending it together as a family. I feel tremendously lucky to be able to live in such a beautiful country with the people I love. 

I have some pictures to share from our mini golf outing yesterday in celebration of Audrey's 4th birthday. It was a really nice afternoon filled with mini golf and bumper boats and a really yummy dinner to end the night. 

We got home exhausted and happy.

Happy 4th of July friends! Hope you all had a great one!

Our weekend

...was filled with all kinds of fun. 

Much deserved after spending most of the day Friday cleaning up our spare room (Audrey's room) ...which really has been a catch all since she was born. She still co sleeps... and putting up money on a nursery was never a priority. I figured she would eventually make the room hers...and that seems to be slowly taking place...

(Kip referred to this cleaning as me taking part in some nesting)

Friday night... an Under the Sea inspired birthday party which included a jicama, pineapple and watermelon salad ....and tamales for mom. 

Saturday... we dropped Audrey off at grandmas. Kip, Jeremiah and I headed out to the show (a second time for the boys). After the movie the three of us went out for Mexican food. We came home to relax and somehow a little relaxation turned into a 3 hour nap for me! I woke up with just enough time to do some grocery shopping and watch Wayne's World with Kip and Jeremiah. 

Kip and I hadn't watched in years, it was Jeremiah's first time... watching inspired by rocking out to Bohemian Rhapsody on the way to grandmas.  

Sunday... the boys headed out to watch the LA Kings hockey game. Audrey and I picked up some friends and went to Pregnancy Awareness Month's Celebrate Moms event here in LA. 

Lots of fun products, lots of learning, pampering, including massages, henna tattoos, natural makeup and fun crafts for Audrey. 

And her second face painting of the weekend....something she loves!

We ended our weekend going out for Lebanese food and enjoyed our very lovely dates for the day....

both Audrey and I came home tired and ready to cuddle in bed with daddy... a most perfect way to end a busy and fun weekend. 

What fun did you take part in this weekend?

Easter 2012

Easter was beautiful. Jelly bean trails. Easter baskets. Family. Good food. And about a dozen egg hunts. Audrey kept wanting to look for eggs!We all took turns hiding eggs for her and when everyone finally got tired of hiding the eggs she started hiding her own eggs to find. ( :

Audrey was a little wired from all the treats. It took us awhile to get her to finally calm down and go to sleep!

Salmon, roasted veggies, brown rice, fruit, salad and a yummy fruit tart for dessert.

Hoping your Easter was as lovely as ours...

Marcela

photos taken by Kip Beatty (aka dad)

moving

Everything is moving along around here. Including baby. 

I feel baby move ...and sometimes feel pressure at the base of my tummy. 

I try and explain this feeling to Kip and the kids but it's something I guess I just can't. 

It's a feeling only a mom can feel. So I take this time to share it between me and baby. 

Jeremiah is on spring break this week. We went hiking a couple times during the week. The kids and dog have so much fun. It's cheap. We get lot's of exercise plus time to enjoy the outdoors. 

After hiking everyone is exhausted and hungry...so we do lunch...or ice cream. (:

The kids argue like all the time about what sex the baby will be. 

Audrey says she will be a big sister. 

Jeremiah says he is going to have a little brother. 

Sometimes Audrey settles the argument by just saying 

"fine! mommy has two babies in her belly ...a boy and a girl!"

(I only have one)

Baby's sex is a surprise...

I'm feeling a whole lot better lately. I still get morning sickness, but thank goodness it's only in the morning and not all day like it was for like forever. 

We are having family over for Easter. Audrey is dying to color Easter eggs... so that's on our list of to do's this weekend. 

So, the other day, I wake up ready to go to work...

Kip says to me...

"you know sweetie...I really want you to consider getting a minivan"

And there you have it....I might be my worst nightmare...

I might soon be a minivan mom....

has someone been eating my porridge??

Someone has been in my home.

(I know it)

Sitting in my chair, laying in my bed....

Little signs are everywhere. 

Baked brownies on the counter top. 

A Christmas gingerbread house...actually out of the box and decorated and ready for Audrey to pick and eat every last candy off of it.

And this morning....

I get up to make coffee.

No old grounds and filter but a new clean filter ready to be filled. 

No coffee pot filled with yesterdays coffee but a nice clean coffee pot. 

And then as I poured water in the coffee maker.... water overflowing from the top and I running for towels to clean up with...I knew. 

Someones been in my home.

...if only she'd return. 

Who will clean my coffee pot today? (:

Grandma went home yesterday and we miss her already. 

That someone also let me know that porridge is really just oatmeal...just thicker. ( :

(I never knew that)

grandma is here

(Audrey has been playing with Christmas tree ornaments all morning. She takes them off, then hangs them back on, then takes them off and puts them back, then all over again...)

Our weekend was lovely and filled with family. Grandma Mary is here visiting and we are all in love with having her here.

She washed our windows (inside and out) and washed and dried and ironed our curtains. LOVE her.

Cheered real loud for Jeremiah at his bowl game in San Diego this weekend. Jeremiah LOVES her.

Snuck Max a hot dog and Audrey's leftover egg yolk without Kip noticing. He LOVES her.

Gave Audrey a cookie after she had already had ice cream and I had said no more. Audrey LOVES her.

And Kip has mom here....he LOVES her.

I have a fun week planned here this week... so stay tuned...a gift guide and some giveaways...hope your December is already filled with love and family...

thankful

Thanksgiving was yummy. I worked the night before so slept most of the day, but woke up just in time to enjoy family and amigos over a lovely Thanksgiving dinner.

We ate Salvadoran style turkey, one of my favorite dishes to look forward to during the holidays, it brings memories of being home with my mother and sisters, smelling roasted spices and watching my mom pour fresh tomato sauce over the turkey. 

(those are the memories I am most thankful for, memories like these I hope, I am giving my children to remember)

We ate inside my uncles tiny and cozy home, they had taken all their living room furniture outside and set up beautifully decorated dining tables. Perfect really. 

We went around the table and each of us talked and shared what we were grateful for. There were tears and laughs, and those special moments that can only happen in a room filled with people you love. 

After dinner while we folded tables we danced to merengue and cumbias and sipped champagne and when we were finally tired, furniture was brought back in, leftovers packed up for each to take home and memories stored to remember. 

Pumpkin pancakes the next morning, spent the day together as a family, watched movies and ate leftovers. 

(refused to do any shopping this weekend)

One Million Story Times

Have you read the story book Corduroy? It's the sweetest book about a teddy bear and a little girl and one of Audrey's favorite at the moment. 

It was passed along and shared with us... and we love that. 

KinderCare launched it's Read. Share. Give. program with a goal of 

"one million story times" this summer. 

I love what it's about...reading, family, friends, sharing and giving. 

How it works: 

Pick a book to read with your family

Visit kindercare.com/read to download and print out a book label, enter the book's code and start following your books journey!

(so cool)

Place the label into the inside front cover of the book and pass it on to family and friends to do the same

The more books that are read and passed along the more KinderCare will donate to early childhood reading programs. 

Audrey wants to share Corduroy with you...

(the giveaway)

It's not new, and has been read by us, but I think having a book passed on by friends makes it even more special....

Don't be shy...leave any topic related comment... like what book you will pick to share and who you will share a book with?

Audrey and I will pick one of you at random on August 15th and put the book in the mail to share with you...

in return we hope after reading you will share with someone too!

Pass the love of books friends!!!

*kindercare shared this book with us, no compensation of any kind was given, we just want to pass the love and share with you