Mommy + Me •>>stepping into Fall

I cannot begin to explain to you guys how many times I have been asked why I stopped Kaylee's Fashion Diary posts on the blog! The most simplest answer would be, because she turned into a gremlin! Gremlin is a term I like to use to refer to crazy toddlers and well lets face it thats what my sweet lil Kaylee Belle has become!!!! Now that the air is getting crisp and days dont't feel like a hot dessert all day over here, I feel like outfits get more intresting and detailed so I will ATTEMPT once more! As you can see by the title of this post they will be Mommy & Me type of fashion posts so I hope you guys dont't mind my big ol behind in her photos!

 I have always been into fashion my entire life it has been a huge part of how i distinguish myself. I was accepted to the Fashion Institute Design and Merchandise here in LA aka FIDM. I never went due to the outrageous loan i was going to get stuck in but ya you get the point. This year was the first year I felt that passion return! Most of you guys who follow me are mothers and you know how sometimes our passions get post-ponned in the midst of raising our children. 

This fall season I am back and ready to play with fashion annnd so you will se lots more of these types of posts and videos from me!

Mommy Outfit Details: 

Sunglasses: Vintage Christian Dior

Black Tank: Mossimo for Target

Necklace: Wet Seal

Bronze Belt: Vintage

Harem Pants: G-Stage

Black Booties: Mossino for Target

Kaylees Outfit Details:

Black bodysuit: Freestyle (dancegear)

Bird Skirt with 3 faux leather bows: custom made by _perfect_duo om Instagram

Black Sandals: Cherokee: Target

Teaching by example

This morning started out like most of our school mornings, hectic! Today I pressed the snooze button way too many times and was in a panic to get Justin ready for school. As I ran around like a maniac serving breakfast , yelling at him to hurry up and finish getting ready I realized his lunch box was no where to be found. Given this is his 2nd lunch box of the school year that has gone missing in less than 3 weeks, I flipped. I gave him a snarky, nagging speech, and went on and on about being responsible for your things the entire time he finished breakfast . I began rushing him even more and was NOT the nicest person about it  . I can still hear myself and when I think about it I sounded just like my mom did 20 years ago.

I grew up with a working mom who sometimes had to have 2 or 3 jobs to give me the life I had. She was often  sleep deprived , stressed, and overwhelmed with responsibilities she couldn't handle at times but managed to get everything done. As the only child I often got the wrath, especially when my father and her separated when I was 12. Mornings were always the worst. I have always been a terrible human being with alarm clocks and love my sleep. She was always yelling and screaming at me to get up and I have to say I wasn't the most obedient child and often lagged it in the mornings. My mom was/still isn't  a morning person and would become this crazy lunatic to get us out the door so she wouldn't be late for work. I would always get to school frazzled and upset and think to myself of all the ways I would do things different as a mother. One that I specifically remember was apologizing when needed. I knew my mother was going above and beyond for me to be in the best school and provide me with the best of everything. She loved me more than herself and having to do this parenting thing all on her own must have been exhausting . I often forgave her myself but the older I got the more it bugged me that even when she exploded ,for no reason other than stress,  she could never apologize to me.

When I went to pick up Justin from school ,after feeling terrible all day , I saw him holding up his lunch box in the air with a big old smile on his face when he saw my car.  My heart broke into a million pieces for even being that upset with him over something so materialistic as a lunch box. I told him we needed to talk and took the kids out for an afterschool doughnut date. I first and foremost told him how terribly sorry I was and asked for his forgiveness. I explained that most of that was due to my stress of him being late because I woke up late. I also explained to him that daddy works very hard for him to have all these things and that he needs to take better care of what we buy him.  He sat and told me it was ok and he understood. I kept thinking how I wish my mother and I had had these conversations at this young of an age. Maybe things could have been different with our relationship back then. My mother is my best friends now as an adult because she and I have learned to communicate and be open with each other.

I hope that my son knows that not only do I love him beyond measure but I respect him and KNOW when I am wrong as the adult. The older my kids get I learn the importance of showing them how to be the best person they can be by example. How can we ask them to do things when we cant show them how . Not everday can you be that perfect person but I hope everyday my children learn how to be a better person from it.

Our San Diego/San Clemente Family Trip 2013

As you all know my husband works in the film and television industry and his schedules SUCK sometimes. There is usually no such thing as weekend off or 9 to 5 hours. Since we have been back from our honeymoon my husband has been making up for lost time and worked non stop, 11 days straight to be exact! So last Tuesday he had off and we randomly packed the kids. And headed down south a few hours to San Diego! Random trips like these are common with my husband and I. We can be compulsive and egg each other on with our spontaneity. We had no idea what we were going to do but we made a quick reservation at the Sheraton by the marina and hit the road! The kids are always so good in the car! As soon as we got there we checked in, dropped our stuff off in our room and went down to the pool to swim and have lunch! We stayed at the pool for a looking time due to the fact that both my monkeys are fish they love the water! We showered and made reservations at an amazing restaurant which I go more into detail in my previous post and then drove the kids to downtown San Diego for a late night ice cream stop!

We had originally planned to stay just one night but we were having so much fun that we wanted to stay another night! Due to Comi Con , only the biggest convention that is hosted in San Diego, our hotel was completely booked so we hit the road. We decided to take the scenic route home along Pacific Coast highway to enjoy the ocean scenery and all the beautiful landscape Southern California has to offer. As we were passing San Clemente my husband decided to pull in and show the family one of his favorite little beach towns ever! We ran into beachcombers a tiny little inn by the beach! There sign outside said NO Vacancy but we were so in love with its view that I begged my husband to just go in and ask. Lucky for us they had one room available and we decided to stay! I don't think I can describe t you it's amazing location (pictures below might help) It was beautiful!!!!

If there is one thing I love about my family is that you can take us anywhere and we find ways to make it fun! I was so proud of the kids for being so well behaved and completely out of there element! I always sit back and think how my life functioned without these two little monkeys and this amazing man by my side! I am grateful I have these memories to share with them when they are older and looking forward to so many more adventures with them in the future!!!

M O M M Y•≫fashion diary

      Earlier this week the family went on a super random family trip (which I will blog about in the next few days and post lots of pictures). Anyways we found the most amazing restaurant right on the marina overlooking the San Diego skyline called Island Prime. I feel like we got there at the most perfect time because when we arrived it was just before the sun was about to set so we saw the skyline in the daytime and as the sunset we saw the lights of the buildings all flicker on and it just gave the kids an amazing view while we ate. My youngest is at a difficult age in restaurants because she's just very high energy and doesn't want to sit in one spot for too long but she did so well here. The food was delicious! Mainly seafood dishes but my favorite part was the presentation it was all so beautiful! The view behind us was the skyline and the view to the left of us was just water. The part of the restaurant we were at, sits on top of the rocks on the shore of the marina so it feels like your floating over the ocean.

     I was very excited to finally get to wear my necklace I had purchased a few weeks ago from  The Oxford Trunk . The best part of this necklace is that it was just as bright and vibrant as in the photo on the website.  I fell in love with this necklace when I was browsing  the company's Instagram, where a model was featured wearing this necklace along with the most gorgeous kimono eveeeer. I love the fact that they have amazing and unique pieces for such an affordable price. You will definitely be seeing tons more of there pieces on my Mommy fashion diaries.

Outfit Details:
Orange Knot Necklace: The Oxford Trunk
Tank Top: Target
Aztec print Harem pants: g-stage
Sandals: Target

Our over due ::h o n e y m o o n::

My husband and I were married on February 13, 2011, almost 2 1/2 years ago. Life was super hectic when we got married. My husband was working on a feature film (x-men) and I had just found out I was pregnant! We decided to take a minimoon (which is what we called it) to San Diego the days following our wedding. We stayed in the nicest suit at the hilton over looking the bay and had a really relaxing stay.

    At our 2 year mark I couldn't get that honeymoon "itch" out of my mind. We plan on having our third baby sooner than later and we figured we should probably take this opportunity to go on our honeymoon now!

     We looked at so many options but finally agreed on Playa del Carmen, Mexico. I think whenever you decide to travel you have certain key elements you are particularly looking for. Location and climate are the obvious first that come to mind. Playa del Carmen is on the eastern side of Mexico giving us the carribean climate we were looking for (well at least I was....being half Cuban and having traveled to Miami and Cuba many times I missed it!). Besides climate we were looking for a nice QUIET location with privacy. Playa del Carmen is south of Cancun (45 mins) so it doesn't have the hustle and bustle of a huge tourist town! And finally what sold us was, my husband is currently working on "The Voice" and could only take a specific number of days off , therefore were thrilled  that we were still close enough to not ruin an entire day on travel. 

    As the days got closer to our trip I seriously started to get emotional about leaving the kids. Justin had been away with grandma on a Florida vacation before for two weeks without me prior but Kaylee's longest was 2 1/2 days away from me. If it weren't for the fact that my mom was taking care of them I don't know how I would ever leave them. My mom is a super hands on loving and VERY affectionate grandma so I always feel assured that they are getting that kind of love when I leave them.

    Our flight left at midnight for LAX. We had a tiny layover in Mexico City and by 3pm we had landed in Cancun! Our driver was waiting for us outside and 45 mins later we had arrived at The Grand Sunset Princess Resort.  As we pulled up we saw these huge white walls and the only color besides white was the blue sky and the bright green palm trees that surrounded the grand opening. Everything was outdoors. The check in lobby was all open there was not one room you entered. Since we were in the platinum suits we had a more private section for check in and was welcomed with cool towels to wipe our hands and face down and 2 glasses of champagne. It was seriously a dream. I have NEVER been to a resort like this in my life.

     As we got to our room we got an unexpected surprise when we opened our door. Our balcony had a beach view, which we hadn't paid for but it looked like we had gotten bumped up from some elsese cancellation. We definitely were not complaining about it, it was beautiful. Our balcony had a hot tub and two lounge chairs and it was just perfect.

   Everyday we were in paradise we basically did the same thing over and over again. Wake up order room service, change into our bathing suits and sit in our private section of the beach with our butler alllllllll day just soaking in the sun. What I love about the Caribbean is the beautiful bright blue water and how warm it its. Everyday the water was no cooler than 80 degrees and the shore goes on for ever you can basically be out 200 yards and still be able to touch the bottom of the ocean. Which in Los Angeles just doesn't happen it seems like it just keeps going and going forever. Then around 6ish we would pack up all our stuff and move our lazy butts to the pool where we would watch the sunset from the swim up bar and a cocktail in hand and discuss what and where we wanted to eat that night. We would then retreat to our room as soon as the sun was completely down , take quick showers get dressed and head on over to the restaurant of choice. After that we would have a few cocktails by the ocean and wait for the club to open and dance the night away.


     This trip was exactly what we needed as two hard working parents living a hectic life. My husband works 7 days a week some weeks and 12 hour days almost everyday. He wakes up so early and works so hard to give our family everything we have. I couldn't imagine anyone else who deserved this trip more than he did. For myself I would say I needed to just get away from my everyday as well. Being a stay at home mother is my favorite job in the world but I needed a breather to just be myself without worrying about two other monkeys. I was so grateful we got to be with each other without interruptions from the kids. Its hard to talk to realllly communicate with each other after the kids are asleep because we are each tired from our lives. This gave us endless time to just talk, about anything while enjoying each other.

    But as always any parent cant be away from there babies that long and I definitely missed them so much. By the end of the trip I couldn't wait to get back home and snuggle with them allllll day.