Eugene's 70th Birthday Bash!!

Me and Darnell. She looked perfect!
We are family! I've got all my sisters with me!
Me and my niece Addi
Me and Kristin
David torturing Aaron and I, nothing new there!
Me and the guest of honor!
Aaron as fat Elvis and Me
Me and Grant
Me and Stewart
Me Heather and Justin
I got to spend 6 fabulous days in Boise to celebrate my Dad's 70th birthday. As you can see it was a 70's themed surprise birthday party! We had so much fun dressing us and surprising Dad! We had a great turn out and most everyone was dressed in their 70's best! I was so glad that I got to be there with all my brothers and sisters. I love my family sooo much!!

Apple Picking!!

Up a tree.
Bella and I in the tree

Me and Maegan
RiLee practicing her circus stunts.
Bella and Xavier love apple picking
Xavier and Joanne
B.S.X. in the orchard
Xavier and the apple picker
Me and my bestie RiLee
Joanne and Maegan
yucky red delicious apple
Bella in the field
Bella chomping on an apple
My family
Me and Maegs in the apple tree
So funny!
Bella tries tree climbing
Mary Ann Shandis Joanne RiLee


So as you all know the Cardonas and the crew go apple picking every year! It has become one of our favorite family traditions! This year was amazing as usual! The weather was beautiful, the apples delicious and the company was unbeatable! I know there are a ton of pictures but we just had so much fun I couldn't leave them out! I know there are tons of me being cheesy but what can I say? An apple orchard is a perfect canvas for my cheesiness! Plus Maegan loves to take pictures. Who am I to stop her??

Kindergarten

Ready for his first day!

Waving goodbye for the next 7 HOURS!!!!!

Mommy holding on really tight!

His new School!

He's got his backpack and he is ready to roll!


So I realize I am a little late with this post but better late than never! Xavier started FULL DAY kindergarten last Wednesday. He is gone for 7 hours! Crazy!! It has been a bit of an adjustment for me and Bella. Xavier is as happy as can be! He seems to love his class and his teacher and has a new friend named Valarie! Let it begin!

Dance Dance Dance

This past weekend Pedro had the kids so I decided it was time to go dancing! I hadn't been in forever and I really do like to dance. Let's not confuse that with me actually being good cause well it's not even close to the same thing! It was just a whole lot of fun! Lexie and I were the only ones dancing for about the first hour but if you know me at all you know I didn't care! We had such a blast and I want to do it again sooner than later! So if your up for it hit me up!! We'll totally go!

My Man

I didn't feel right about posting all about Bella and her hair and having nothing to say about Xavier so here it is. I love this cool dude! Almost everyone I know wants to dress up a little girl or have a girl to put the cute dresses on and all that but me I love turning Xavier into the "Stake Hottie" each and every week! You can't tell by this picture but his shirt is white and blue pin stripes with skull and cross bones on it. He has a diamond studded X belt buckle on and you also can't see him rockin' camo flip flops! I just love getting him dressed up and he doesn't seem to mind it for now so I'm going to keep on doing it! The best part of it all is that he totally fits the part with his brown skin brown eyes and lashes to die for! he's going to be a heart breaker for sure!!

Divorce

I know that blogs are full of happiness and rainbows and butterflies but sometimes life is just not that way. I have been blogging for a while and have been letting you all into my life for all this time and just can't seem to leave this post out as it is completely on my mind and is my life right now. Pedro and I have started our paper work to make our divorce finale. We have been separated for 2 1/2 years so we knew this was coming and it has not been a fight at all. I am grateful for that. It does seem pretty surreal however. I guess I never thought in a million years I would get a divorce. I never wanted to be that girl. I guess no one ever does. I'm grateful to be in a good place with Pedro. We are not friend friends right now but I know that with time we will be. We don't fight and we don't hate each other and I most definitely see this as a blessing. We do have 2 great kids that need the both of us and it is our job to work together to raise them right whether we are together or apart. Pedro has been carrying the financial burden all this time and will continue to until Bella is in school. I can't be more grateful for that. He has allowed me to stay home with my babies and raise them just as I had always wanted to! He could give me no greater gift! I have indeed been blessed! I also know that I am ready to be divorced. I have gone through these past 2 1/2 years being perfectly content with being at home with the kids and hanging with my friends and also taking the time to get myself straight and in a better place spiritually, physically, and mentally. I know I needed this time to myself to grow and rediscover who I am and what I want out of this life. My emotions have mellowed out a lot in this time, maybe that's just me getting older. I have also started to feel that pull to move on and for sure want to be loved again. I have never noticed all the people that are in love around me so much as I have in the past 2 months. Strangers really holding hands as they walk on the beach, couples in the temple or the church pews with their arms around each other and even people on dates at the movies. I'm pretty sure this is the universe talking to me saying I need to get on with my life and open myself up again and fall in love. Is it possible? I don't know but I don't really like the alternative either! So with a divorce date in the near future I am sad that I have lost a love that will never end but also never be back. I am happy that I will be able to move on. So bottom line I feel these two strong emotions that are complete opposite one from another and I guess that's what inspired me to write this down!

Bella's blow out!!

This weekend I decided to straighten Bella's hair. I thought it was going to be a major project, she does have a lot of hair and it's super long and super thick and super curly. She is the Diva so I was afraid she was going to freak on me, but she didn't! It wasn't bad at all! We started Saturday night after the bath by me blowing her hair dry with the low dryer and brush and it got pretty straight! Then on Sunday morning before church I used a straightening iron to really get it straight. It turned out so nice and was so long and she was pretty in love with her hair! I may do it again in the near future!

These are Saturday night pictures and it's pretty straight right?

Look at this girl. Could she be any cuter, sweeter, prettier? I think not! I am really in love!

The Birthday Bash!!

Party People!

Xavier and Bella blow out their candles.

Bella opening her presents very carefully.

Lexie and Xavier.

Bella and Xavier.

Wes in my sun hat!

Xavier splashing in the water.

Bella and the kick board, her new favorite thing!!

Jenn, Joanne, Wes and I soakin' up the sun!

The party place.


So this is the last post about the kid's birthday's I promise! When you have two birthdays 3 days apart it gets a little crazy! We celebrated the kids birthdays together at the lake. We did it last year and am going to do a repeat as many years as the kids will allow it! The lake is the perfect spot for the party! You really don't have to do any entertaining cause the sand and water and the playground do all the work for you! As you can see I had plenty of time to relax and sun tan! What a perfect day! Thanks to everyone for coming and partying with us and for all the gifts! We had a great time and can't wait to do it all oer again next year!!