Atalie, Arielle, & Alayna

Last week I made an attempt at some newborn pictures of Atalie. I only had about 30 minutes or so to work with her so I didn't get many shots I liked. She did cooperate for the most part but the lighting sucked... my lens is going out I think because I get tons of blur now... and well we just weren't feeling the whole situation. I am gonna attempt some more like ASAP before she's no longer a "Newborn". But for now here's what I was able to somewhat salvage from that day.












The next day after we dropped Alayna off at school... Arielle and I were getting off the car and as I was taking the baby out Arielle decided to play in the grass with rocks. I quickly ran the baby inside and grabbed my camera. She was in her own little world and I had to take her picture. She saw me with the camera but was so natural and kept right on playing with the rocks. It's so hard to get anything natural from Arie... she always has this cheesy smile that makes her face scrunch up all funny. These are my new favorite pictures of her!












Then on Saturday at my Brother's house the kids were playing outside and Alayna asked me to take her picture. Who am I to turn down the opportunity? So I snapped a few but the sun was really harsh... I thought I wouldn't like them either. But when I opened them up I saw the potential. And I like them now.















Now if I could only get Diego to stop having a "life" and maybe I could get some shots of him too. I am gonna try... really I am. The kid is never home and when he is he can't be bothered with anything. Ugh 7 year olds!

Bits of Our Sunday: Atalie Meets Abuelita

I kinda love Sundays now... they've been so relaxing lately.

We got up and cleaned a little and then I decided to get the kids dressed and ready for the day.








We didn't have any plans but I didn't want to stay in the house. SO we decided to take the kids to my Abuelita's house so she could meet Atalie. So after she got home from church we stopped by. She was surprised but very excited. She even asked me to hold and feed her. We were there a good hour and a half! It's hard to stay there a long time because with 3 older kids they get into everything. Or get bored really easily. Grandma's house is just not kid-proof you know? She lives by herself there's no need. But it was a nice afternoon. Jr and I talked with her... she made us crack up laughing as usual. And she really gushed over Miss Atalie. I love seeing my Abuelita enjoying her great-grankids! You can see all the adoration she has for them. Atalie was no different. She kept telling me how much she thinks she looks like my Mom. And then she would get kinda sad and say to Atalie, "You Grandma never got to meet you..." And I quickly told her, "No Abuelita, you have it all wrong... she got to meet her before we did." And she smiled for a minute. But then she turned to me and said, "(Sigh)... I still can't believe she isn't alive anymore. It's so hard to comprehend how SHE isn't here. SO cherish each day because you never know..." And it made me sad... sad that my Grandma is still saddened by the loss of my Mom too... and sad for us as her daughters. We had a long conversation about her. And she is sad that my Mom will never get to enjoy all her grandkids and great-grandkids like she has. My Abuelita is truly blessed. She is 80 years old and has been around for us all.



After we left there I wanted to take the kids to the park but it was a pretty hot day to have the baby out so Jr suggested we stop for some subs and set up the slip n slide in the yard for the kids. So that's just what we did. We enjoyed lunch/dinner in the shade of our driveway... well all except for Arielle who decided she didn't want to eat and then did her new "fake" cry for us. Yup she developed it after Atalie was born.



This was their first time getting wet this summer so they were all excited to wear their new swimming suits and stuff.

First came Diego who thinks he has so much muscle... I swear that kid eats so much! I just don't know where it all goes...


Then Alayna with her new Bikini. She loves it!


And of course the chunky monkey... I laughed so hard when Jr put this two-piece on her... my little 97th percentile child...


And Atalie has some bathing suits which are still too big anyway but she's not ready for the whole getting wet thing. LOL She likes to sleep instead.


So they had a really fun time. Arielle wasn't too sure at first. I had to keep telling her it was okay to get in.


But once she finally got in there was no getting her out.

The Brother Turns 32!

He's getting so old!



My brother turned 32 so my sister-in-law invited a few people over for some hot dogs and hamburgers. He wasn't supposed to know about it. It wasn't anything fancy but since he was at work all day we figured we'd just all show up and have a little gathering. Well he ended up finding out anyway. LOL And he thought it was so funny. Oh well... it wasn't that big of a deal anyway... but it sure was funny.

I didn't take many pictures because my camera died. Who does that? I don't think my camera has every run out of battery on me. But thats what I get for not making sure it was charged. Oh well.

Ramon & Daddy




Happy Birthday Time!


...You belong in a zoo... you look like a Monkey... And you smell like one too!


Cracking up cuz Juanito blew out the candles before he even got a chance too.


High Five Son! Thanks for helping!


Jr wanted to be the first to give him a gift...


Happy Birthday Brother!

Anybody Out There?

So as I did my daily rounds of blog reading I realized something... there are blogs that I have followed for over a year now and some even longer than that... mostly Mommy blogs and I feel like I know these people. Some I comment maybe once in a blue moon... and some I realized I have never commented at all. So why read their blog but not comment? So I did just that... I started commenting.

And then I wondered...

I know mostly family reads my blog and I don't usually share the link unless it's on my facebook, but do you wonder if people out there read your blog and never comment? Seriously... I do. There just might be people out there that do read what I write.

So if there's anyone out there reading... COMMENT! I write this blog mostly for family and for myself but if in case you are reading... it'll be nice to know someone else is there. So comment!

And if you have a blog as well... let me know. I am always looking for new blogs to follow. Especially you Mommies out there that can relate to what I write. I'll be sure to visit you.

Wishing, Hoping, Thinking, and Praying

Today it's been 4 months since she's been gone. So much has changed in these past 4 months. Her family has expanded by two. And as I looked through my files of pictures for something to post for today... these pictures caught my eye right away.


It doesn't get any easier without you. Coming to terms with your departure was by far the hardest thing I've done in my whole life. Everything, every day reminds me of you. There's nothing that I do that doesn't make me think about you... that doesn't make me want to walk over to your bedroom, open the door, and share it with you. My life, my stories, my accomplishments, my kid's accomplishments, my troubles and problems (which are the majority as always), and even all my craft projects that you know you LOVED me sharing with you. It's hard not having anyone around to listen to me. It's just very hard. I miss you immensely.


Jr bought her this T-shirt as a joke (he bought me an identical one) but my Mom wore it out. Most nights she was wearing it to bed. If you look at it now... it's EXTREMELY worn out.


Two things come to mind when I see this picture. First... Boy did she love my brother. She rarely told us straight flat out that she loved us... but she did express to me MANY MANY times that she loved my brother. I hope he knows exactly how much. He is her baby boy. Big baby... but her baby nevertheless. And second... her laugh was so loud and contagious. I have to get the loud laugh from her. When she laughed you could hear her across the whole house.


This is my most favorite picture I ever took of my parents. I know it's not even their faces but it says so much to me. It shows how united they have always been. Not perfect but perfect together. The skin color difference, and the differences didn't stop there. They were very different but complimented each other so well. I love how my Dad's hand is over my Mom's like he's guiding her, like he's protecting her, and as domininant as my Mom was... my Dad was always the subtle King. And last but not least... her nails always done, her Tiffany's bracelet that she hinted so much for, and their wedding rings. <3


My Dad's 50th Birthday Fiesta. For someone who has no interest in planning parties she helped me from start to finish to put together a big bash for my Daddy. She was so happy to be able to do it and was excited when the day finally came. Every detail perfect.


Sunglasses = Mom
Enough said =)


She loved my Husband... they had some special bond that I probably couldn't ever understand. And they are so identical it's scary. I see my Mom in him all the time.


He was always behind her. Nothing he wouldn't do for her.


Our last Family gathering. Thanksgiving 2009. Her very most favorite holiday. What a beautiful family.







She loved being a Grandma. Even though she said she was too young to be a "Jamma" they were her whole world. I know she loved them more than her own children. They made her, angry, crazy, and happy all at the same time. You could tell by the way she held them, the way she looked at them, and she bragged about them all the time... showing them off like her greatest accomplishments. And they sure love her too. Each one with a different but special relationship with her. Diego was her buddy, her baby, her best friend. Alayna was the one she would argue with, both stubborn, but then they would be cuddled together. And Arielle was her pride and joy... being that she was/is so little I am not sure what attached my Mom to her. But she was quite obsessed with her.

And lastly... there's me:








She rarely told me, she never expressed her feelings, but she loved me. It was unspoken but I knew. She was never the mushy, gushy, lovey-dovey type... even though I was all over her all the time. Hugging her, kissing her, telling her she was special. She always said to me, "You smother me just like your Dad does... get off me! You guys are identical!" I never listened. And no she wasn't mean, that was her. And that was her love. She would do anything for me and no matter what I did she protected me, backed me up, forgave me, and loved me. She was always there. She is always here. She's my number one... even though she complained that in my eyes I was "Daddy's Girl"... Truth be told... I was more a Mama's girl than anything. She is my idol.

I love you Mom. You truly are number one.