"MAM and DAD!" Day

the year before

I'm a bit late but whateves... here's Mam and Dad's Day. We had a brunch style mother's day and a father's beach weekend. It was super chill... exactly what we needed :) mini post for archives

End of 2012

I must say, Christmas was not the same when your own mama is not around. She had to fly to Puerto Rico to take care of her mother. Gueli (my grandmother) is doing well - she was living at home alone and became dehydrated which was pretty serious because a slew of problematic symptoms arrived afterwards. She's stable now and happy in the mountains at a nursing home. She's 92 and still strong like a bull. So yeah, I think it was my first Christmas without my mom which was kind of weird. I kept thinking she was going to come walking out of her room. I guess it's pretty much a new era for all of us in our family. We all have our little families now. It was a little bittersweet thinking we'll probably be somewhere new for the next holidays... bitter that we will miss our families in Florida - sweet that our little family will be starting a new life together // now we can have visitors rather than have to drive to 3 different houses (its kind of exhausting). 

I'm happy I kept up with this blog even though I really would like to expand with it and write more. I use this blog to help with writing (dyslexia), record the major and minor things in our lives, watch our little one grow and also to communicate to people (hopeful start conversations) - I'd like to post more on my painting as well as some collaborative works with friends and my little Olivia. So, hopefully I can get it together :) (also interviewing people)

So, with that in mind - Future posts // Furry Fangs an Introduction // A very special Pizza Party for a two year old - as well as our first painting collaboration Mother and Daughter // What is Olivia up too - Update on her milestones

Happy New Year! Cheers to 2013

Mama's Gift Guide for Christmas

1. // 2. // 3. // 4. // 5. // 6. // 7.

It's doesn't feel much like Christmas around here. We just got some cold weather but for sometime now it was warm, gloomy and rainy. We decided on not getting a tree for maybe the simple fact that we have nothing to decorate it with. We're in this clearing out mode rather than buying more things that we'd have to pack and move in the coming months. We are starting slowly to pack up things into bins and label them. I'm kind of a freak about organization. In the last 5 years, my motto has been less is more but for some reason, I keep accumulating more things. Of course having a child creates more things, so I adopted an attitude of research and awareness. Almost everything I buy, I research it (reviews) and figure out where and what it's function will be in the house or for my wardrobe :). It's nice to start getting rid, basically donate, the things that no longer work for us. I would like this move to be a fresh start on the whole family. Olivia's getting bigger and closer to having a "big" girl room, Zach will have a new job in his field (crossing fingers) and I will be a exploring all the ways of supporting my creative side as well as my family side. It's coming soon and I'm really excited for it but first organize, donate, label and research. So my Christmas list consist of things that I'm replacing - like the boots (love them!) or adding - mainly jewelry. I definitely need pajamas for cooler months // Mixing bowls are a must in my house - my mother had this green set // and a sweet little "I love my family" sticker for my car // I'm not really into putting stickers on cars but I like having one thing that can help me find my car in a parking lot full of cars - so that's the function :)

Thanks Well-Rounded Giving 2012

I must say this year was the most well-rounded Thanksgiving I've ever experienced. We were invited to spend Thanksgiving with one of Zach's oldest buddies (high school days). They're probably the most relaxed family I've had the pleasure to hang with. I loved it. The house was set out in the country (9 acres), dogs running around, amazingly fresh food served (including Siembra Farm), good ole' gun shooting (first time ever shooting a real gun... and I thoroughly enjoyed it), amazing people to converse with including the small people running around, a family magician (yeah, there was even a magic show for the kids), Pee Wee's playhouse playing on the TV, Egg Nog, Wine, Guitar playing, Singing... I mean it was just the best. It's hard for me to say this when I didn't spend any part of it with my family. I definitely missed my family and I kind of wished they would have just came over to this house to sing and play. Over the years, the holidays seem to get more stressful especially with a kid. Packing the car, making sure she's on schedule (which never happens // equalling a child running around at 11 o'clock at night), traffic, family drama always creeps in (definitely on my side of the family), driving to my dads for a second helping of food (I have done this for half my life), overstuffed, sleepy - It just gets too crazy. This year we simply jumped in the car and drove 30 mins north. That's it, no traffic, just country space with a beautiful blue sky. Olivia could not get enough of this place - running around, playing with the other kids, eating dirt, following the dogs around... so a big THANKS to the Galligan's for inviting us to their sweet home on Thanksgiving. So here are some photos of our well-rounded Thanksgiving but first, a little Olivia photo shoot that happened earlier that day :)