Weekend Scrap

Ballerina Girl

Check Fiona out! She's on her tippy-toes! You could totally see her concentrating. I'll always remember how enthusiastic she was right before dance class. And I'll always remember how much she loved her blue tutu.

Lil Cupcake

For Valentines Day we had cupcakes at Influx in Golden Hills. Couldn't decide between Double Chocolate and Red Velvet. So, we got both! And Fiona was the first to dive in. She inherited her sweet tooth from her Mama.

Just the 3 of Us

Even though these photos were taken over the summer, I really wanted to scrap it. We're just all smiles here. We had just finished a nice lunch at Tender Greens in Point Loma. Full and happy bellies!

While we were browsing the photo library we stumbled across so many other photos that we forgot about. We keep taking pictures but don't print them out. So, I'm going to try and be better about it. Even if I just scrap ONE photo for each event or special occasion. We'll see how that goes.

Meet Eloise

She's a gray cat with blue eyes. A finicky little thing just like Fiona. But seriously, this was such a fun sewing project from Wee Wonderfuls! Absolutely gratifying. The simplicity of the pattern and attention to detail puts me on cuteness overload. I heart this and want to make more. I've made a few cats and bears a while back for other special little girls in my life. And I thought, "I can't believe Fiona doesn't have one yet!" So, let the sewing begin.

Mind you, Fiona and I have been working on this project since December. She helped pick out the fabric and buttons. And I did the rest, of course. Now, It's February and I'm so proud that Eloise is here. She just needs a tad bit more stuffing though. Just a tad.

Disneyland Snapshots

Fiona's very first trip to Disneyland was a special one. It was so lovely to see the Magical Kingdom lit up during the holiday season. It was a first time for all of us.

Smile Everyone!

Gavin, Fiona, Vince, Emma, and Olivia making funny faces

We arrived Saturday evening and joined the Alfonso and Dominguez families. The Small World ride was amazing! So much detail! Fiona was ecstatic! She kept saying, "Look, Mommy!"
Our first time at Disneyland, as a family.
Wow! Fiona was so amazed by this castle. She wanted to gravitate toward it.
She was plum-tuckered out by the time we got to the hotel.
A blinged-out-sequenced Minnie Mouse hat from The Bibbity Bobbity Boutique. A little girl's dream. This store even offers princess makeovers. It was nuts! And Fiona was very over- stimulated in there.
Fiona wanted EVERYTHING in that store!

Natalie and Alexia trying on hats at the Mad Hatter

On Sunday, The Bautista Family joined us for a fun afternoon in Fantasyland. I think we stayed in that particular area the entire time. We just took it easy. Luckily, we got passes. We didn't feel the pressure of missing the rest of the theme park. It was nice to enjoy it at a relaxed pace. It could be quite overwhelming especially when you have a little one.

Fiona's first pair of Mickey Mouse ears were especially embroidered.

Written on the back--

Fiona's First Visit 2010. Thank you Ninang Mim & Bautista Family!

December 6-11

Day Six--Sunday

We drove up to LA for the day.

Day Seven--Monday

Enjoying an evening by the fireplace

Day Eight--Tuesday

Movie Night

Day Nine--Wednesday

Front page

Baking begins!

Back page

Fiona's helping hands helped mix the dough for the peppermint candy cane cookies.

Day Ten--Thursday

'Tis the season for chillin' and grillin'!

Day Eleven--Friday

Dinner and Coffee & Tea with Ninang Gail

(journaling on back side of photo)

December Days

Day Three--Thursday

I've been prepping this package for my cousin Dada in New Jersey for quite some time. But on this day, I finally finished packing it all up. I'm so thrilled for her. Dada's expecting her first baby two days after Christmas.

Day Four--Friday

Just went to Target with Ninang Gail and spent an hour of looky-loo-ing down the aisles. Very therapeutic, I say. I bought some "unnecessary "things and some "necessary" things. That's always the case when you visit Target. But I definitely snagged up some peppermint candy canes that I plan to use for candy cane cookies, for hot cocoa stirrers, or just to nibble on. And later that evening, Far made smores in the toaster oven from Olivia's smores kit. It was yummy!


Day Five--Saturday

Fiona looks forward to her dance class with Ms. Angela every Saturday morning at 8:45 a.m. She's so enthusiastic about it. I can't believe Fiona even knows the ballet terminology--arabesque, plie, and tendu. Her teacher is simply amazing.

December Daily 2009

Home Sweet Holidays 09

(front cover)

(inside flap)

Day One--Decorating the tree
front page


back page

Day Two--Making a Wish List
front page

back page

Other pages soon to be filled

(started prepping in November)

Every Christmas Eve I write Tessie a letter. It's just a reflection of the year. And things that seem to be bottled up manage to reveal itself on paper.

This is the first time I'm participating in Ali Edwards' December Daily album. I absolutely LOVE this idea. December is such a magical month and Christmas is my most favorite holiday. I love the scents of fresh cut pine trees, gingerbread and mulling spices, baked cookies, and so much more. And this is nuts, but I enjoy wrapping presents in the middle of the night and listening to holiday tunes. It's so nostalgic for me.

Since it is such a busy month, there's plenty to document. And just being able to journal about these moments and day to day occurrences will be oh-so-exciting! I know I'll appreciate this in years to come. I know Fiona will too. She's been helping me here and there just by gluing things down or assisting me with the layout. She calls scrapping, "decorating." "I want to decorate, Mommy!" I let her go at it. That's my girl.

So, here it goes! Happy December!

In the wee hours...

This is a layout for Jenny's On Motherhood challenge. I'm working on another layout for Fiona and I. But it's still in progress. This topic absolutely just warms my heart. I can think of a million layouts with stories to follow. Even ones about my Grandma Emeliana. She's got the kookiest way of thinking which transfered over to my mom. And sometimes, I get that way too. I don't even know why. Maybe because Mama's know best? It's funny how superstition out ways logical reasoning or even medical research in my family. Yeah! It's hilarious at times. I just don't argue with it. Point is, I can be the same way, hard-headed about everything.

The funny thing about this paper is that I was supposed to used it for a project for another little girl. I was testing out Jenny's mists and butterfly mask. And jeepers, I couldn't resist. I instantly thought of this photo--Fiona wearing purple and playing with her shadow. So, thanks Jenny for letting me come over and play.

I started this layout in the Summer. And now it's Fall. I just wanted to document what Fiona loved eating at the moment. I orginally wanted the layout to be just text but something was missing. It was her smiling face. She's a nut! I'll always remeber her at this age.