Mateo's 2nd Birthday Party: Cars and Trucks

I know I always say this...but this party was one of my favorites.

We kept the list short.

We kept the age close.

And we kept it all simple but cute.

And this made for a perfect time for this small cluster of toddlers to come together and help celebrate their buddy Mateo.

I know...a lot of pictures to share...but belive me when I say I restrained myself!

 

I sent out a secret package to all the invited guests and inside was an very cool invite and a make it yourself racecar kit that the kids were instructed to bring to the party where it would be put to great use.  It made us so happy to hear back from all the parents HOW HAPPY they all were to receive the kits and get to work on them!

 

I will make sure to share the DIY's (because there were a few) on this party...including the invite, favors, and decor....because without sounding conceided...I am the Queen of making a buck go far (kind of ;) hehehe! Much of the decor I made...all of the food and cake I also made...and my amazing friend Cassandra made the BEAUTIFUL signs!

 

 

This was the cake and dessert table...AND...trophy table which I accented with these cool signs I found at Hobby Lobby.

I made this backdrop with paper plates...it was fast...and easy...and looked great!  I also made the pom pom garland myself using floss and pom poms from the dollar tree.

 

Yes...I was nutty enough to dress a table up with seating chart and all for a bunch of 2 years olds....but you know what...they all sat...and they all ate...for atleast 10 min...success in my book!

 

 

The cake was simple...that's food dyed shredded coconut and cookie crumbles...eay peasy!

Some spare tires to munch on....

and some traffic lights too....

I couldn't find car cookie cutters for the sandwiches...so I had the idea to cut out his name several times and it turned out so vute....and the plus side I can re use the cutters for other parties. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is what the kids took home as a favor and I will make sure to blog the how to on this....another easy and not too costly idea...

The kids had a good time with the track that my awesome hubby and Father in Law made...turned out better that I had imagined!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And....dont get me started on these lovebirds!!!!!

Mateo was so HAPPY!

Had a BLAST!

The finish line where we awarded all of them their trophies...

Blowing out the candles with his one and only BELLA

Godpapa Wes and our lil Blueberry....

Then came the shaving cream activity...suppose to have them play with tiny cars through the cream...but somehow...things went crazy....but a GREAT kinda CRAZY!

REALLY GREAT CRAZY!

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the end....we looked back with so many amazing memories to count...and much gratitude for the friends who came out to help celebrate our 2 year old Mateo!!!!

 

 

 

xoxo

Me

Quatro/ Cinquenta Dos

Johnny/teenage sleeping in

Bella/ Ballet at the Beach

Mateo/ Watercolors

Cruz/ Excersaucer

xoxo

Me

Our Blueberry....5 months

This lil cherub is growing so quickly and developing such a fun cute and amazing lil personality.  Cruz looovvveeessss his siblings...he adores when Bella sings to him...he is mesmerized my Johnny's drums and hair...and he is head over heels with his Mateo...Mateo is always CRACKING him up!  I am so very happy, blessed, and excited that we have all four of these awesome kids...but most of all that they will have each

other when they grow up.

This month....he can't be stopped...the kid is a rolling machine...and has me thinking that crawling is not  too far away!  

Babbling like crazy...and laughing so hard...especially because we have mastered his ticklish spots...especially right under his DELICIOUS double chin...yummy DOUBLE CHIN!

SO far "mama milk" is the only thing on his menu and will be for at least another month and then we will start introducing food...which I am sure he will love seeing that he is swatting at everyones spoons!

Gosh I just love him so much...overwhelmed with gratitude!

xoxo

Me

Tres/Cinquenta Dos

Johnny/14/Alligator Duds

Isabella/11/Vintage Hunting

Mateo/2/Watching Daddy Surf

Cruz/4 months/Smiling at Uncle Pep

Thrifty Tresures: Pop some tags

This is my JIZZY JAMMMMMMMM!

PEOPLE.....hear me...PEOPLE....I looove THRIFTIN' nothing better than poppin them tags from the THRIFT SHOP.....HOLLA!

And this weekend is the Long Beach Antique Market....I'm there with BELLS ON!!!!!!

These are some recent finds that I have stumbled upon...vintage beauties to help put the wrap on the kids outdoor playroom:

SEE YOU THERE...IF YOU DARE!

xoxo

Me

Once a week: 1st edition

Those of you who follow me on Instagram know that A) I am obsessed with it (unhealthy obsession perhaps) and B) Most of my pictures are all of my kids.  I take hundreds of pictures of my kids and love to look back on them all the time.  So when I came across one of my favorite Bloggers Bleubird Vintage and her AMAZING idea of taking and posting 1 picture of each of the kids once per week I thought...holy MAZOLA that is such a beautiful idea!!!  You see...I blog not for the many many reasons others do...I blog simply to keep family and friends connnected...but most importantly...keeping my memories archived for myself (my memory is similar to that of Dory's from Finding Nemo...I am not kidding)!  

JOHNNY 

on his way to band practice

ISABELLA

started her own fashion blog

Mateo

started bike training

Cruz

is concerned with his drooling problem

Thanks again to The Bleubird Vintage for her beautiful mind!

xoxo

Me

Favorite Things: 1

The news has been freaking me out with this whole flu outbreak situation..I mean..I know they do this every year..BUT..the kids doc even confirmed that this has been the worst cold/flu season in decades...HELLO..DECADES!  

AND...for those of you who know me well..I am a total germ a phob...I HATE runny noses...they scare the caca out of me!

I am a self admitted ocd..germ gagging..get the heck away from me kinda gal during these few months..ESPECIALLY when we have a wee lil one at home.

Again...one of the many reasons why I am so grateful to be a SAHM..I would just faint and freak at the same time if I had to drop my kids of at daycare.

I have a friend whose had her son in daycare since 6 weeks old...and that poor kid has been sick so often. :( So I am trying to remind myself of this...be grateful...and just stop watching the news.

However

I was planning to have a FAVORITE THINGS PARTY this month and being that 75% of my friends are teachers...hmmmmmm...I think I will be postponing it just a couple more months.

Soooooo...in the mean time..I wanted to share with you some new and fantastic finds...and who knows...maybe this hermit crab will share some on a weekly basis:

Top Left: The new WORLD ATLAS app by apple...my father in law bought us the brand spankin new Ipad and this thing is CRAZY amazing...Mateo and Bella fight over it all the time!  and this app in particular is beautiful!!!!!  A must see $1.99

Top Right: Voluminous False Fiber....OMG...amazing!  Through the years I have tried many different mascara brands...cheap...expensive...waterproof...etc.  This one hands down has been my FAV find it at Target. $7.49

Bottom Left: Sally Hansen Xtreme wear nail polish...so many beautiful shades...stays on my nails at least 4 days...which those of you who know me well (and my usual chipped nails) knows this is a find! $6.49 @ Target

Bottom Right:  Oh Dear Lord....why...WHY......WHY did I discover this!!!???  And why am I being so evil in telling you all about it?  It'd because you just have to try it...it's amazing!!!! @Trader Joe's $3.50....and now they have the CRUNCHY version...I won't but it...I refuse!

Ok...so here you go...I hope to see you at my Favorites Things Party....when the epidemic is over!

xoxo

Me

Ladies and Gentlemen..I give you..BELLARINA FASHION BLOG

When I was a lil girl I looooved to sketch out pictures of my "outfit designs" I called them...I drew them  out and would plan out my outfits by the week.

I loved fashion...still do. I remember always being kinda a "whimsy" dresser as a kid...trying new things...that maybe didn't quite work out every time...but at least I tried. :)

When I was expecting my first baby EVERYONE wanted me to have a girl...but I always wanted a boy first...so that I could later have my girl..and her big brother could protect her (threaten any boys that try to get fresh)...and now I have my girl and she is securely sandwiched by a slew of brothers...mission accomplished.

So...YES...I had my girl...and oh boy what a girly gal she has turned out to be.

Bella is a sweet girl...so grateful..so caring..and not at all a materialistic or the kind of girl who cares what she looks like...BUT...the girl LOVES fashion...and the girl KNOWS fashion...she has a natural knack for it like you wouldn't believe!!!!!

I am so grateful to have such a sweet daughter...but I can't lie...it makes it really fun to have a fashionista doll!

Ladies and gentlemen...I give you 

BELLARINA: a real girls guide to fashion

Hi everyone in bloggy world...my name is Bella and I love fashion.

My hope is to bring you this blog not as a way to show of my style and brand it the best...because I know we all have different visions and style and taste...but what I do hope you take away from it is that fashion can be so very fun...and affordable.

I want you all to see that you can put a fun and unique outfit together with pieces from all over the place...I often take a target piece and i will pair it with a vintage piece and come up with something that I know will be different.

One of the coolest things to do is go thrifting with my mom and finding something awesome and whimsical...oh yeah WHIMSICAL!

I hope you will like my blog...and check in from time to time..you can find me at:

www.bellarinabear.blogspot.com

This is spirit day at my school..and being that I am the class president I felt the need to be uber spirited and so I took it up a notch.

Sequoia shirt/school   Red Tutu/Discount Dancewear   Black Leggings/Target

Toms/Nordstroms

This is a day out with my mama getting our nails done...so fun!

Pant-Legging Harajuku Mini/Target    Hello Kitty Tank/Vans T-shirt   Scarf/handmade by my mama

PomPom Booties/Target   Foam Flip Flop/Happy Nails

Pumpkin Patch Couture

Pumpkin Tshirt/ Target    Black Tutu/Discount Dance Legging Tights/Hot Topic Head and wristband/handmade by mama

Christmas Party Day at School

Harajuku Dress/ Target  Black Blazer/Gap Kids(2 years ago) Headband/Claires  Black Ballet Flats/ I forgot

New Boots Day

Heart Sweater/ Target (it was on sale...woot woot)   Leggings/ Target  Boots/Justice

Cardigan/ Forever 21(3 years ago...it's my moms)  Skirt/Charlotte Russe(also my mom's)  Hair Flower/ The Style Bandit   Toms/Nordstroms

And finally...today...my mom's favorite one...Skull Chic

Cardigan/ Target   Blouse/a lil boutique in Huntington Beach...forgot name...sorry  Hello Kitty Pleather Skirt/TARGET...that's right TARGET!

Thanks everyone...hope you like my blog....and hope to hear from you soon!

xoxo

Bella Bear