Silvestre Family

Hair cuts

2009-11-21T23:07:00.000-08:00

My Little sister is finishing her last year at Citrus Cosmetology School, and she is trying to build her client list so she is offering a first haircut for only $10.00. I would not post this if I didn't think she did good work. I trust her with my hair.... and i don't trust many people with it! If anyone is interested let me know. We could do a beauty night at my house. She is also offering manicures and pedicures for super cheap. She will be coloring and cutting my hair this week so I will post pics.

Tammy after hair cut (didn't take a before pic)
My hair before cut and color After cut and color (its just a bit darker with a hint of red you only see in the sunlight)

back view

Halloween at Story time!

2009-10-27T22:48:00.000-07:00

Bella loves to go to story-time at the library. This week Bella got to wear her Halloween costume to story time, and she LOVED it. Can't wait for Saturday!

Im back!

2009-10-08T09:23:00.000-07:00

This is just a quick post to let everyone know I'm still alive! I have been busy, busy, busy. I recently went back to school, and am taking 12 Units this semester. I know i'm a bit crazy but I really enjoy school. I will upload some current pictures when my computer stops acting funny!

Disneyland!

2009-07-31T23:02:00.000-07:00

On my birthday I went to Disneyland with my parents and two of my sisters. Armando had to work, but we still had a blast! This was Bella's first visit to "Mickey's House". She was so adorable and wide-eyed the whole time. I kinda feel bad cause the first rides we went on were Peter Pan (dark most of the ride), Then Snow White (the witch is super scary), then Pinocchio (dark and a little scary). So after that I felt like I had to make her realize that Disneyland isn't all scary... so I took her on the Carousel, then Dumbo, then It's a Small World. She loved all of them! She was so happy and well behaved even though she didn't get a nap. I was a very proud mama.

THANK YOU TAMMY

2009-07-06T18:08:00.000-07:00

This past Wednesday I was treated to a day at the spa! My BFF Tammy took me to Glen Ivy Day spa for my birthday, and we had a blast. I had never been there and had always wanted to go, so when she suprised me with it I was jazzed. We did this body wrap treatment in the "Grotto". It was awesome! I cant wait to go back...SOOOOOO RELAXING. Thaks again Tammy, it was the best b-day gift ever!

BBQ!

2009-07-06T18:00:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday Armando and I had our good friends over for a barbecue! It was put together that day and we just hung out and ate some yummy food. I love random barbecues...

Then and Now

2009-05-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

Pictures speak a thousand words!

Moving Away

2009-05-30T11:16:00.000-07:00

No we are not moving away... but my Grandparents just moved to Arizona. They have always lived in Southern California, so we grew up very close to them. As a little girl, I would go and spend many weekends with them. It was sad to say goodbye, and see the house I spent a lot of time in empty. They came by my parents house on their last night in California. It was great to see them before they left. I know... Arizona is very close, but its much further than the 20min drive I am used to. I can wait til they come back for my sisters high school graduation!

Mother's Day

2009-05-30T10:50:00.000-07:00

Mother's day was fantastic! In April we celebrated Mother's Day with my Grandmother because she was moving to Arizona. We went to Huntington Beach and ate at Ruby's on the pier, then walked around and did some shopping... I love going shopping. It was such a beautiful day, and Armando had Bella so it was very relaxing. Then on Mother's Day Armando woke up with Bella, and made us breakfast. He had to go to the store to get more juice, and when he came back he had two large bouquets of Tulips (my favorite), and two of my favorite gossip magazines. The rest of the day was fantastic. Armando took care of everything... I just sat back and enjoyed my day!

Potty Training

2009-04-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

Well a lot of us mothers are in the tedious process of potty training. We bought a little potty for Bella a couple months ago (when she turned 2), and started exposing her to it. At first she loved it, but didn't understand what it was for. Once she knew what we wanted her to do she didn't like it so much. So we decided since she just turned two that we wouldn't push it and we took a break from it. About two weeks ago Bella was wearing a dress and running around the house. I was getting ready to bathe her so i called her over to get her undressed and I realized that she had taken her diaper off. So I asked her where her diaper was, and she pointed to her room and said, "here mama!" When i went into her room her diaper was on the floor, along with a trail of pee, that led to THE POTTY! She went in the potty without us even knowing. I wasn't sure if it was a fluke or if she really knew what she did, so the next day i stayed home the whole afternoon and let her run around without a diaper on. Sure enough, she went every single time in the potty without telling me untill after (so she would get her sticker and treat). I still dont trust her enough to take her out without a diaper, but when we are home she does great. For us what worked was letting her run around without a diaper and everytime she did have an accident we took her straight to the toilet and told her that pee-pee goes in the potty. One day it clicked, and she was ready for it. But we did clean up TONS of accidents before she "got it"!

EGGS!

2009-04-15T16:46:00.000-07:00

This year our good friends Tammy and Ryan came over and brought dye and crayons to decorate eggs! I haven't dyed eggs in years, and this was Bellas first time. We had tons of fun. Thanks guys!

Easter

2009-04-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

Easter was so much fun this year. I loved waking up and going to church with my beautiful family. I am so thankful especially this time of year for all that I have. After church we went to my grandparents house for our last "get-together" there before they move to Arizona. We had a blast and the kids loved the Easter egg hunt! After that we went to My sister-in-laws house for dinner with Armando's family. Bella got more into that egg hunt since she had practice doing the first one! I hope every one had an amazing Easter!

My Gymnast

2009-03-29T09:20:00.000-07:00

Bella has been in gymnastics for the past month thanks to my sister Jen. Bella LOVES it! Any time anyone asks her what she does in gymnastics she will hop like a bunny (when she does trampoline- Her Favorite), and she will kick out her legs (like she does on the balance beam), and sometimes she will even try to do a front tumble! One of her favorite things to do is the "obstacle course" that is filled with fun things like the trampoline, the tumble mat, the balance beam and the slide. My favorite thing is the uneven bars.... have you ever seen a two year old swing from a bar while her body is in the shape of a V (with help from the coach)? Me either until last week... Too cute for words.

My Little Artist

2009-03-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

She caught on fairly quickly to holding a pencil correctly. Everytime she colors she comes to me and says, "Mama! I want write Papa!" So I hold her hand and help her spell out Papi (or papa as she says). That is her favorite word. I think she got it because when she colors I ask her who she is making her picture for and 90% of the time its PAPA.

Play Dates!

2009-03-26T22:04:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics of Bellas recent play dates with her cousins!
Bella and Sean playing playdoh

Bella, Liliana, and Alyssa playing dolls and kitchen...
Sean, Bella, and Gabe... Three Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed

Nana Silvestre's Gift

2009-03-26T21:52:00.001-07:00

Bella got her play kitchen from my parents, and Armando's parents got Bella a beautiful white wood table and chair set from toys r us. It is great for coloring and playdoh(thanks Taryn) and all of her pretend meals that she makes with her kitchen. The first night we had it set up Bella called her Nana to her room so that she could show her the new table. So as Armando's mother and I were talking Bella was hard at work making a fabulous meal. Then She set two place settings (all by herself), and pulled out one of the chairs and said," Nana Sit! Nana eat!" So they sat down and had a little meal together at her new table! So Adorable... ( I didn't get any pictures of that night because Nana was in her Pj's and I don't think she'd want pictures of that online, but here's the table)

Bellas Birthday Part 2

2009-03-26T21:38:00.000-07:00

After our fun morning of running around, we finally got down to business and stated the party! Bella had a blast with all her cousins and little friends! Here are just a few more pictures! (oh and my beautiful birthday girl got a deep scratch right on her cheek just a couple days before her party- nice huh?)

Bella's Birthday Part 1

2009-03-12T09:17:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago we celebrated Bella's second birthday! The day was crazy since her party fell on her actual birthdate. In the morning my parents came by to give bella her gift (it was too big to transport back and forth from her party). My sister also came by to give bella a huge boquet of balloons! After my parents left Armando had to take the car into Pepboys to get new tires (all 4), and we still had to run a bunch of errands for the party. Luckily Armandos mother let us borrow her car for the day. So after running around all morning bella took a much needed nap. Straight from her nap we were off to Natailes house to set up for the party (Thanks Natalie for letting us use your place!)

My Parents with Bella

Bella opening her gift from Nana and Grandpa
Bella's new favorite toy

Some Pictures

2009-03-12T09:11:00.000-07:00

When Bella Had Croup

After Croup.... I Just love sleeping babies!

Grandpa's Brithday!

2009-03-09T09:23:00.000-07:00

For My grandfathers birthday this year, my mother, my sisters, my grandmother, myself and the babies went to take a family portrait. My Grandfather is the kind of person who never wants anyone to spend money on him, and even when we want to its impossible (you know- what do you get the guy who has everything?) So this year when we were trying to decide what to get him we realized that the most important thing to him and my grandmother is their family. So we got everyone together and went to picture people. (To any of you who have never been... They are amazing!) My Grandfather was so happy when he saw the pictures!

Bella and my sister Kim ( who is encouraging Bella to be naughty)

My Grandparents!
Grandpa checking out the pictures
Bella and Gabe sneaking bites

Croup

2009-02-19T15:04:00.000-08:00

Well its official. Bella has croup. She has never had it before, and its horrible. She actually got it last week, and is feeling much better now, but this week has been a nightmare. The first night she was up most of it coughing. On Valentines day she woke up at 1 am coughing so much she vomited... twice. Then she went back to sleep (with no fever). Then at 2:30am she woke up crying and when I got her out of her crib she was burning up. I took off all her clothes and took her temp and it was 105 degrees! So Armando and I rushed her into emergency. She had to take a full dose of Tylenol AND Motrin to get the fever down. Then they gave her a breathing treatment (which she screamed through), then vomited again from being so upset. When she finally calmed down they came back in to give her a shot! So we didn't get home til 5:30am and Armando had to be at work at 7am. Shes getting better, but still gets bouts of coughing streaks which last up to 5 minutes... I feel so bad. We have the humidifier running all day and night, and keep her on Motrin, but i wish there were more i could do.... Any advice?

Nana's 60th Birthday!

2009-02-01T22:43:00.000-08:00

Its a late post, but better late than never! Last month we had the pleasure of celebrating her 60th Birthday! We had a bash for her at Natalies house, and were able to show her how much she means to all of us. We are so thankful for her and all that she does for our family. Any one who knows her knows what a saint she truely is. We are thankful to have a wonderful mother (mother-in-law), and Bella is lucky to have such a wonderful Nana who she loves so very much!

Christmas and New Years

2009-01-18T08:57:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas was very relaxing this year. We spent Christmas eve with my Family and Armandos Family. Then Christmas morning was back to my parents for brunch, and Armandos family for dinner. We are both very close to our family, and we are blessed that our family lives near us. New years was as exciting as it can be with a two year old. We just put her to bed then (thanks to Nana) Armando and I went over to the Torres' house for game night. It was very exciting right Taryn?
I have a few things I wish to work on this year, but i wont make them public so when I fail misserably I wont feel so bad! Happy New year to all of our friends and Family. We love you!

Thanksgiving

2008-12-19T09:36:00.000-08:00

I posted our Christmas pictures, but I forgot to post the pictures from Thanksgiving! I went to visit my grandparents early and they were so happy to see Bella!

Christmas photos!

2008-12-16T21:42:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Sean and Gabe!

2008-12-16T21:11:00.000-08:00

This past week i had the pleasure of celebrating two birthdays! Sean turned one and Gabe turned two! I love these little guys. They are my nephews and Bella's pals. I am so thankful for them and the love and joy that they bring into my life. Gabe is hilarious with his Chinese, and Sean's smile just melts my heart. Happy birthday Seany Sean and my Gabey
Baby. We love you!

Thanks Kim!

2008-11-08T14:29:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago I had to get some dental work done (fun right), and i aske my sister to watch Bella for me. I left my camera and told her to use it if she took the kids to the park. When I got back to pick bella up she was running around in her diaper, so i asked Kim what happened to her clothes. She told me that her clothes had gotten wet because she ran into sprinklers with gabe when they were on their way to the park! The pictures were just too cute for me to not share!

Bella loves the park!

2008-11-07T14:21:00.000-08:00

Once a week Taryn and I try to take the kids to the park so they can play. Bella always looks foward to her play dates and shouts "SETH" the whole way to the park. She now associates the park with Seth so even if I take her by herself she will run around looking for Him.

Pumpkin Patch!

2008-10-26T20:25:00.000-07:00

Last week Armando and I went over to my sisters house for dinner and after dinner we took Bella and Gabe over to the pumpkin patch. They had a blast! This was Bellas first time going, and she loved all the pumpkins, and music. I could write about all the fun stuff she saw, but ill let the pictures speak for themselves.

Walk Now For Autism

2008-10-07T09:55:00.000-07:00

This is something very near and dear to me. My three year old cousin Vinny was recently diagnosed with Autism. Autism has and continues to affect many children and the numbers are growing. Although many believe that Autism may be caused by vaccines, the cause is still generally unknown. There is no known cure for Autism, but through wonderful non-profit organizations, we can help find the cause and a cure. This is what the Walk Now For Autism site says about autism
"Autism is a complex brain disorder that inhibits a person's ability to communicate and develop social relationships and is often accompanied by extreme behavioral challenges. Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed in 1 in 150 children in the United States, affecting four times as many boys as girls. The diagnosis of autism has increased tenfold in the last decade. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called autism a national public health crisis whose cause and cure remain unknown."
I am joining my cousins "team" to help raise funds for this cause and I will be walking on November 16th at the Angel Stadium. If so inclined there is a link to either join our team, or donate to it. Thank you in advance to all my friends and family who have supported us in this!

Bella

2008-09-29T12:17:00.000-07:00

For those of you who know us well, you probably know how much Bella loves food. Most of the good pictures I get of her are when she is eating or helping me cook. The reason I usually get such great pictures is that she is happiest when she is eating! She eats a variety of foods, and it doesn't matter what the food is. If she has a plate of peas or an ice cream cone, she is HAPPY. Maybe that means I am a fantastic cook (or not) and she cannot resist my food.... or maybe she will grow up to be a famous chef... or food critic. I would almost be so bold as to say that food is her favorite thing although if you put a plate of food in front of her and a cute pair of shoes she may ignore the food for a bit while she tries on the kicks. Maybe she'll be a famous chef with her own shoe line!

Election Day Party!

2008-09-19T12:12:00.000-07:00

On November 4 Armando and I will be hosting an Election Day Party. We are going to watch the results of the Presidental election come in, and celebrate the election of a new president! This is not a Party specific party meaning that people of all political parties are invited, and even people with no political party (Rachel). Now I know what most of you are thinking... are you crazy? And the answer is yes.. just a little. In all honesty we just want people to come together regardless of their political affiliation. So in saying that, everyone is invited to join and have some great "All American Food", RESPECTFUL conversations, and celebrate the election of a new President! If you would like to come just send me a comment or e-mail and I'll send all the specifics.
*We will also be surprising Armando by celebrating his 29th Birthday that evening. (Don't worry... He never looks at the blog!)

New Pictures!

2008-08-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

Here are some new pictures

Finally! A new Post

2008-07-31T23:26:00.000-07:00

I know it has been a while since my last post. We have been so busy lately. Armando's car broke down and was in the shop off and on for three weeks getting a new engine (fun right). On top of that he started his new job which is nice, but now I am adjusting to him not being home as much. The main reason why I have not posted in a while is because our laptop stopped working two weeks ago (thanks to Bella), and we just now got a new one. Other than that, all is well with us! We are all happy and healthy so we are thankful for that!

For all You Teachers!

2008-07-03T15:49:00.000-07:00

Today my husband was watching C-Span, and recorded it for me. Those of you who don't know I was attending school to be a Teacher (Pre-Bella), so I sympathize with all the teachers out there who work their tails off and get NO appreciation, bad pay, and a crappy Federal program to deal with (No Child Left Behind) Just to name a few. The video link is of a Governor of S. Carolina receiving an award from the NEA, and boy does he deserve it! I highly recommend watching it if you are an educator (although it may make you want to move there.). If you watch it I would say it starts getting good at 7:30 into this clip, yes its a little long, but if you have the time its worth it!
http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=product_video_info&products_id=206276-2&showVid=true

Ravioli!

2008-06-18T14:36:00.000-07:00

Raviolis are one of Bellas favorite foods most of the time, but for some reason when i was trying to get her to eat dinner the other night it was a headache. Finally I just gave up and let her sit there with her food on the highchair tray. She suddenly decided that she in fact did want to eat and started feeding herself. I did not have the energy to fight her on the matter so I let her go at it... and boy did she. It really is much simpler this way... she gets a bath after dinner anyway so why not?

Watch out Mario Batali!

2008-06-17T13:58:00.000-07:00

So i first have to say this.... I'm really not a fan of Crocs! I know... many people love them because they are convenient for adults and children, but I must confess; I thinks they are UGLY. Bella received a pair before she was even born but they were toddler size, so she is just now starting to fit in them, but I cant bring myself to put them on her for longer than a few minutes (and definitely not in public). Then one day I was cooking something yummy (homemade shortcake), and Bella was again my little helper. All of the sudden it hit me..... there is a use for ugly pink Crocs! So I ran upstairs and got those ugly shoes and put them on her. Those are now her cooking shoes! So watch out Mario, Bella is coming for your job! ( I must note she is much cuter than Mario Batali, and she has an excuse for being very plump.)

Bella and Gabe

2008-06-16T14:18:00.000-07:00

My sweet little princess is so loving towards her cousin Gabe.... Cant you tell by the look on his face?
Actually, she is a bully and poor Gabe is so sweet that he just runs away from her. I really do feel bad about this because I don't want Bella to be a bully. She really can be the sweetest little girl, but when she feels like she can dominate.... She will!
So here it is... a formal apology to sweet Gabe...

Dear Gabe,
Even though I am a bully some times, I do love playing with you! I don't mean to make you cry (most of the time), and i really wish you wouldn't flinch every time I pass near you (although you probably have good reason to). I am very sorry for making you afraid of me (but its a good thing you are... caution is best). I promise I will try harder to not make you sad or scared (mostly because mommy is making me). But the most important thing is that you remember that I love you, because you are my cousin and friend (and subordinate).*
Love,
Bella

*I really do love Gabe!!!!

The Box

2008-06-16T13:44:00.000-07:00

On Bellas birthday she got so many toys, and one of them was this farm set from my sister Kim. Since Bella received tons of toys, I decided to put some away so that a few months later they could be "new". I finally pulled out the farm set two weeks ago, and the only thing Bella wanted was the box! What is it with children and cardboard boxes? Every morning she would rush over to sit on it and scoot around the living room. What a silly girl!

Buy Pampers!

2008-05-24T10:35:00.000-07:00

So maybe I am just a cry baby, but the first time I saw this commercial I cried. Any mother or woman for that matter knows why. How beautiful are all babies around the world? I am a proud supporter of Pampers products. Not only are they doing good, but the products are really the best out there!
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8175811417119803898&q=Pampers+commercial&ei=JRo5SJPyCo-WrgPJ7vX1Aw&hl=en

Lemon Festival

2008-05-17T11:09:00.000-07:00

This post is a little late, but I just had to share these pictures from the Lemon Festival. Armando and I took Bella just to get out for a little while. We got everything together and loaded Bella in the car and went to downtown. Once we were there (and found parking) I asked Armando if he had the cell phone. He reminded me that I had it while I was putting Bella in the car. Then I suddenly remembered.... I put the phone on the top of the car while I put Bella in! So then we got back in the car and drove home in hopes that it fell off the car on our street, but no luck. So I suggested we just drive back down there and look out for it on the road. Sure enough it was shattered all over Euclid. So Armando wasn't feeling all that festive after that, but agreed that there was nothing we could do at that point so we decided to go back to the Lemon Festival. I am so glad that we did! We walked around for a bit, then Bella got her face painted for the first time (which she cried all the way through.... I think the clown scared her), and then we got the best ice cream ever at Dr. Bobs! It was a really nice day (other than the whole phone thing)!

Fun at the Park

2008-04-30T21:06:00.000-07:00

I took Bella to the park and met our good friend Taryn and her little boy Seth there. It was soooo hot that day, but we thought that the kids would enjoy getting out. So we made the kids pb&j and went to the park. By the time we tried to force the kids to eat, and let them run around for 10 minutes, we realized (by the pink on our kids cheeks) that it was just too hot to be out there. So we left the park and both went home. Although it was a short little visit, it was nice to get out with my good friend. Oh and Taryn... Hurry and move over here so that we can have many more play dates!

By the way, these kids already have an arranged marriage
But Seth better watch out.... Bella has a thing for Jack Bartlett

This is Seth when he went down the slide... lots of static!

The L.A Zoo

2008-04-29T14:26:00.000-07:00

This was Bella's first time ever going to the Zoo, so it was very exciting... for me. She could care less. I think she is still to young to really care about the animals. She did point to a few of them, but for the most part she was indifferent. I wish I would have known that before I pushed her stroller up and down those hills all day. After the zoo we went across the street to the park and I tried to see if I could get her to ride on a pony (much to my over-protective husbands disapproval), but she is a major chicken and wanted nothing to do with it. Oh well at least I tried.... Maybe next year will be better!

Just Another Day

2008-04-16T01:09:00.000-07:00

Today has been quite an interesting day with Bella. This morning I was woken up by her in a very different way. Usually she will wake up, play in her crib for a while, and then fuss a little until I decide to roll out of bed and get her. Well this morning when she woke up she immediately wanted out of the crib and let me know by two very distinct (and demanding) "MAMA!" "MMMMAMA!" That was very out of the norm for her so I got up and got her out. As I was changing her diaper she wanted to get up... so she told me..."ut..ut" (which in her language is "up"). Then I took her downstairs and my mother-in-law was in the kitchen. The minute I walked in the room Bella shouted "NANA!"
Now Bella has known these words, so it wasn't surprising that she said them, but what was so shocking to me was how she was using them. She will say things for no particular reason and in no particular order, but today she woke up and POOF; she knew the way they should be used, and she had to show Mama. I thought that was adorable...at first that is. She would no stop talking!!! Granted most of it made no sense at all, but the rest of the day she wanted to show me all her words (and in a very loud voice). The one day I have a major headache right?
If that wasn't enough....
Tonight while I was feeding Bella dinner, she decided to take the spoon and feed herself. Usually I will not let her because of the obvious reasons. I don't mind cleaning, but she's only one years old... its not messy when she feeds herself.... its a tornado of flying food, and anyone (or anything) in her path better beware. As I have not been feeling well, I had a temporary lapse of judgment, and I let my one year old spoon feed herself green mushy veggies. Yes I admit it, but she actually did very well! She ate all of those mushy veggies, and started acting very silly. The two pictures were taken one after the other in the sequence shown... one smile... the next... who knows!

Is there anything Better?

2008-04-15T10:01:00.000-07:00

This post will not be a long one, but is there anything better in life than a cute chubby baby running around naked after bath time? I think not.....

Cookies!!!

2008-04-07T20:40:00.000-07:00

Today I decided to prepare some cookie dough for Ashley's shower. As I measured everything (twice), and sifted, and blended, and grated, and mixed, my beautiful baby sat in her high chair very quietly. She was so good and watched me as I prepared the long recipe (all 7 dozen of it!). Before the last step (chocolate chips, walnuts etc), I let her try to mix it up with the spatula. At first she was a bit apprehensive, then she took some cookie dough form the rim of the bowl, and it was all over from there. She wanted to eat the whole bowl (and probably would have if i let her), but since it contains raw egg, i thought it best to keep it at just a taste. Oh my lovely girl!

Re-landscape

2008-04-06T15:00:00.000-07:00

Armando has been completly re-landscaping his parents front yard (as a thank you for letting us stay with them... and free babysitting). This project has turned into a massive one, and Armando has been trying to do it alone. Well our wonderful friend Ryan Morgan came by one day and saw the disaster of a front yard and offered to help. So last Thursday and Friday Ryan was over working his tail off with my husband in the yard. I know this is a little overdue, but Thanks again Ryan for all the help! We totally owe you a fabulous dinner (including a delectable dessert).

Thanks to My Fabulous Gal Pals!

2008-04-05T00:19:00.000-07:00

I just got home from a wonderful Girls night with my Fabulous Friends: Rachel, Amanda, Tammy, Katie, Liz, and Heather. Its super late now, but i couldn't possibly go to sleep without first saying thanks to all for such a fantastic night. I haven't laughed like that in a long time. Amanda I love you and it was great seeing you! Thanks again to all you crazy gals!
*fantastic pictures to follow!

Really?

2008-04-02T23:29:00.000-07:00

So i totally saw this on Amy's site and i had to steal it... This is too much. for the full article click: article
April fools joke or not.... its weird.

The Silly Kids

2008-03-29T23:11:00.000-07:00

My wonderful mother has been watching my nephew Gabe while my sister and her husband work. Since i see my mother often, i have had the chance to spend more time with Mr. Man (Gabe). That kid is Silly, and add a naughty little girl named Bella in the mix, and your in for a treat. The two of them together are hilarious! The videos are of Gabe and Bella at Target. The funny thing about one is that Bella loves to be affectionate and give lots of kisses. Gabe usually runs away from her, but this time he was chasing after her trying to hug her. And the Pictures of Bella... they speak a thousand words!

Easter #2 at Auntie Natalies!

2008-03-23T22:44:00.000-07:00

This was on Easter Sunday, and it was so nice to have dinner with Armando's family. There are now 9 kids (including Bella) and Bella loves to play with all her cousins! She was so funny that day because even though she was not feeling well, she wanted to run around and play with the big kids. It was such a beautiful day, and it was such a blessing to go to church and remember why we celebrate Easter.

Easter #1 at Great Grandmas House

2008-03-22T21:15:00.000-07:00

Armando and I are very blessed to have all of our family living close by (on both sides), but one problem with that is finding time during the holidays to visit everyone. Its hard driving back and forth, and finding the time especially on Sundays is tough. So we figured out a solution this year and that was visiting with my Grandma and Grandpa the day before Easter to celebrate with them. My grandmother purchased a beautiful white dress for little Bella that she wore. Bella was feeling a little sick that day, but she was a trooper and made my grandparents laugh with all her silliness. Here are some pics of Bella, and some of her and my wonderful grandparents. We Love you Grandma and Grandpa!

A Day With Gabe

2008-03-19T16:58:00.000-07:00

My sister Kim called me up on Tuesday and asked me if I wanted to walk over to the Target by her house with her and Gabe. I was more than happy to go since it gets me out of the house with my crazy daughter. The kids loved the walk, and I got some much needed exercise, and fresh air. Next to the Target there is a little courtyard and a water fountain, so we stopped and let the kids look at the water and walk around. Its so nice to see Bella play with her cousin! As they were side by side in their strollers, they passed toys back and forth, and played peek-a-boo. That was the forst time they consciously played together....I am so happy Bella has so many wonderful cousins to play with. Thanks for such a nice day Gabe! We love you!

My Big Girl

2008-03-13T14:29:00.000-07:00

So I was just getting Bella ready for the day and I decided to put her hair in pony tails (which is the first time I have done that). She looked so cute and so big! I took her out side to take pictures, and she was loving it! After I looked at the pictures I realized that although she looks a lot like Armando, there are sometimes that I totally see me and this was one of those times!

Bella's Big Party

2008-03-07T21:22:00.000-08:00

On March 1st we had a party for the birthday girl. So the party was fun, but it didn't exactly go as planned. The whole week before it was sunny and warm, Armando and I reserved the Gazebo at McCarthy Park. We were so excited and I woke up extra early to be ready and to decorate the gazebo to look perfect. Well if anyone remembers that day, it was freezing! It didn't warm up like it was supposed it to, and after spending hours decorating, we had to move the party and all the guests from the park to Armando's mothers house. Luckily she lives super close to the park so it wasn't too bad; just a little embarrassing. All our family and friends were so great though and helped us pack up and move the party. On the up side... Bella had a blast! She is such a ham and loves attention... I wonder where she gets that from (Armando of course).
I really want to just say thank you to all of our friends and family who came to celebrate our baby's birthday.

Bella Turned One

2008-02-28T21:10:00.000-08:00

My sweet little baby just turned one today. I have mixed feelings; part of me is happy to see her grow and get older, but I also feel sad that she is no longer an infant. I miss her cuddling and wanting to sit with me. Now all Bella wants to do is crawl (and occasionally walk) around and play with her many toys. Today was tough... I took her to get her 1year check up which included shots- 5 to be exact, and blood work. Lets just say my mother was very angry at me! I figured that I would just get it over with. Bella wasn't to happy with me though. She got over it really quick and was great the rest of the day. We also had Bella's Auntie Kim, Uncle Jesse, and cousin Gabe over for pizza and ice cream. It was very fun and Bella got to play with her pal!

Bella's First Steps!

2008-02-22T19:38:00.000-08:00

My Baby took her first steps today! I was so excited, and she was very proud of herself. She isn't walking around; she still prefers to crawl, but at least she is on the right track... this could either be a really good thing since she will have more freedom to move around, or a bad thing since she thinks she can do whatever she wants.... All I know is that Bella thinks Mama only knows one word... "NO"

A Day at Great Grandmas House!

2008-01-28T09:31:00.000-08:00

So Armando and I went to visit my Grandma and Grandpa in Whittier for my Grandpa's Birthday and we had a blast! My sisters were there and they had their children so we just all hung out and had a great time. Bella is so loving and sweet; all she wants to do is give hugs and kisses to all the babies around her. She is already so nurturing and I love to see that. Grandpa was happy to see all the little babies. Gabe is a big goof... he is the silliest little boy, and he loves to sing and clap. I cant wait for Bella to walk so that they can really play together and have fun. Hopefully she is walking by her birthday which is in 3 weeks! She is so close, but she is afraid of falling so she'll stand up, and then just decide to sit down and crawl. She is a very silly girl.

Cable Air Show

2008-01-21T13:40:00.000-08:00

So on Saturday January 12 Armando and I took Bella to the park so that we could hang out and watch the Cable Air show. We had a lot of fun, but Bella didn't enjoy it as much as Armando and I did. I think the noise scared her a little, but she had fun at the park . Bella has learned to stand up with no help! I think she may be walking soon and that is very scary for mommy and daddy. She is always getting into things as it is and she is only crawling, so i guess we will wait to see how long it takes her to get the hang of things...

Happy New Year

2008-01-01T19:57:00.000-08:00

So it's finally 2008! Armando and I spent the evening with some friends playing board games (very exciting I know); but thats about all the excitement you get when you have kids! With this new year I am really excited to make and keep some resolutions. Some of them include reading the Book of Mormon all the way through, going to the gym more frequently, and learning to play the piano. I also am very happy because in two short months my little baby turns 1 year old. So, now that the holidays are over I am going to have to try to plan a little party. I am thinking of having it at McCarthy park, but I don't know how the weather will be so I will keep everyone posted.

Baby Roseola and Baby's First Christmas!

2007-12-25T21:07:00.000-08:00

For those of you who do not already know, little Bella has been very sick. She has been Teething, caught a cold, and has Roseola. Roseola is also known as Baby Measles. Apparently it is contagious so she will not be at church for a few weeks, but the good news is it is fairly common, and not harmful. She is at the tail end of it now and is looking and acting much better. Christmas was great though! Bella got many wonderful gifts, and I had the opportunity to watch Joy to the World; a wonderful little church movie. Watching that movie really helped me to slow down and remember the true meaning of Christmas, and the first gift ever given which is Christ given to the world from our loving Heavenly Father. I hope that all had a wonderful Christmas full of love and charity, and that on this day we may all try to remember the wonderful gift that we have received

Our Christmas Tree

2007-12-19T19:34:00.000-08:00

We recently went out to find a Christmas tree... and as you can imagine, Armando was sooo excited! Alright, not really, but we went anyway. Bella and I were happy to go. Since this is her first Christmas I wanted her to do all the traditional stuff even though she wont ever remember it. I think she'll enjoy looking at the pictures when shes older though. I hope you all enjoy looking at them!