32 weeks

I'm having all the 3rd trimester symptoms...

frequent bathroom visits

difficulty getting in comfortable positions

difficulty bending over to pick stuff up ( :

pregnancy brain (although this I seem to suffer from all the time)

strong baby movements...where it feels like my stomach is twisting as well and baby might pop out from one side ( :

Kip took some pictures of me last weekend. It was at the end of the day so I was a bit tired and puffy eyed here... but this is definitely how big I am!!! ( :

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!

flew by

Audrey's birthday party is this weekend and there really hasn't been much else on her mind. Talks about who will be there what we will eat what we will do and how it's going to be SO much fun have filled our home.

Iv'e taken the kids out for ice cream every one of my off days this week... and this might be due to more of my own cravings. ( :

We cleaned out Jeremiah's closet yesterday, and I almost wish I hadn't. Every time we clean his things out we give more toys away... and every time we do it looks more like a teenagers room and less like my little boys room.

When did all those action figures not become so important in his life? It just flew by, it seems. And all those times I wished there was less toy clutter...I miss them. 

I think I want ice cream right now...

deep in the ocean

Almost lunch time...we thought what should we do today? 

Audrey yelled "Beach!" so sandwiches were made, cherries washed and water bottles filled. 

We played in the sand, had lunch together, splashed in the water and at one point I felt like going deep in the ocean. Jeremiah watched Audrey while I jumped inside the waves. 

After the water we curled up on our mat and just talked and laid there till we all were tired and ready to come home.

Tired happy kids fell asleep on the drive home. 

I told Kip I was picking up a pizza for dinner... 1/2 cheese 1/2 sausage with veggies. 

Got home excited to tell him all about our trip and took warm baths to wash the sand out. 

It's definitely summer.

Father's Day 2012

For a long time Father's day was always a difficult holiday for me to celebrate due to my history and relationship with my own father. 

Seeing Kip as a father I realize how special it is to have a great father in your life and that not all father's are like mine. Our children are so very lucky. 

Happy Father's Day my love!

two piece while pregnant

This post is underwritten by Old Navy. Whether you're looking for a tankini, bikini, or a one piece, Old Navy has you confidently covered at a great price.

Iv'e promised the kids all kinds of beach days this summer. This is a fairly easy request and something I enjoy as much as they do. The beach is a place where I always feel free. Something about just laying in the sun with no worries, kids playing, water near by... it just feels right. 

This summer my beachwear requires a bit more planning. A thirty week belly needs more room, comfort and space to grow. Did I just say thirty weeks....?!?! 

The kids and I went out shopping for new bathing suits recently and I did something daring and not very much like me. 

I skipped the maternity one piece! Didn't even try them on! And just bought a bikini top and bottom in a bigger size!

I'm showing off my belly this summer. It's a bit wild and crazy for me. Truth is though, I feel totally comfortable and confident in this big belly right now. I see myself and although I see a lot of growth in certain places that probably shouldn't be growing and will be hard to loose post baby... I also see how beautiful I am in this temporary skin. 

Thought's about how this might will probably be the last time I am pregnant have also crossed my mind and for this reason I feel like I should embrace my body even more.

So weird for me to write this because I am usually the last person to feel comfortable in a two piece when I am not pregnant. Even during times in my life when I have been in the best shape I have always focused on all of my imperfections. Maybe pregnancy gives me a reason to be just like I am without having these certain expectations about how I should look.  

Definitely leaves me with thoughts about feeling comfortable with who I am post baby. 

Showing my belly off...am I completely crazy for doing this? What are your thoughts on a two piece during pregnancy? Is it a no-no or a do it? 

Have you and the kids shopped for bathing suits yet? 

Thank you again to Old Navy for sponsoring my post. I was compensated for this post as a member of Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all my own.

ice cream socialite

Wednesday was Jeremiah's last day of school (Yay!). Audrey and I went to school early to help with their end of the year party and help his teacher do a bit of cleaning before school let out. 

After all the good bye's...Jeremiah, Audrey and I headed to Deutsch in LA for a not so old fashioned ice cream social hosted by Real California Milk. 

The kids had a lot of fun, Audrey loved the crafts table ...

and Jeremiah enjoyed making some really interesting ice cream combinations...his favorite topping was bacon!

Leave it to the boys in the room to head straight for the bacon...ewww! 

While the kids were busy... I had some fun of my own...

which included hanging out with other moms and a yummy Izze blueberry cobbler float!

I want to share the recipe with you and think it would be perfect for any summer party!

Floating Blueberry California Cobbler

1 scoop Real California vanilla ice cream

1/4 cup blueberries

1/2 cup blueberry-flavored soda (such as Izze Sparkling Blueberry)

1 sugar cookie crushed (about 1 tablespoon)

ground cinnamon 

In a serving glass alternate layers of ice cream and blueberries. Pour soda into the glass until it reaches the top and ice cream is floating. Top with crumbled sugar cookie and a dash of cinnamon. 

Sip and smile!

You can also make a peach or blackberry flavored float by substituting fresh peaches or blackberries and sparkling peach or blackberry flavored soda....or any other seasonal fruit flavor. 

*Recipe developed by Kristina Vanni on behalf of the California Milk Advisory Board 

*no compensation of any kind was given for sharing this post. The kids and I just got invited to a really cool party with ice cream...score! Loved the recipe and wanted to share ( :