A Shogun Birthday Celebration!!

Happy Birthay to Me, Rachelle and Sarah!

Yummy sushi!!  :)  and a pineapple drink, I'll be honest...  It wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be...

Birthday ice cream sunday with an umbrelly...  YYEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!  :)

...and a pumpkin spice Bundt cake from nothing Bundt cakes...  Thanks Carlie, it was delicious!

...and DeBran made yummy apple pumpkin cupcakes...  these guys were to die for, I think I ate 2... shhhhh...  don't tell anyone!  I wonder if she'll wanna share the recipe with me!!  ;)

....time for a group shot!  :)  Thanks everyone for coming out to help us celebrate...  :)

Happy Birthday again girls...  and next time we really need to take a non creepy eye picture!!  ;)  gotta LOVE a good ol' phone pic!!  ;)

Trust in God..... ALWAYS!

I think it finally hit me today....  again God called another one of his children home...  and again it was someone I knew, not very well, but what I knew of him was enough...  I got home from work on monday and after thinking about it all day, the unfairness of it all, the why's, it finally hit me...  the reality of what happened was fresh in my mind. The similarities to something I had gone thru a few years before...  I think it finally ended up being too much, so I ended up walking to the front yard, JUST BECAUSE, I needed to think, I needed to sort it out in my head, I needed to be alone with God, I needed reassurance! I needed "understanding" just then I noticed the most BEAUTIFUL sunset sky...  I sat in the driveway trying to put together my thoughts and the events of the 24 hours before....  I also talked to God, and asked Larry to welcome James home...  I'm pretty sure they're up there getting along just fine...  :)  I also reflected on my sisters strength, and Bee's strenght...  It's always amazing to me how strong we become when tragedy strikes...   how we're able to gather strength from above to be supportive understanding and helpful... 

Today I was sad, I was sad for a friend who's life just came to a traumatic stop, for a little while, someone who's life just took on a completely different direction. I was sad for the kids that were left behind, I was also sad for the parents, friends and anyone else who was left behind to pick up the pieces, to understand why things like these happen...

As I did that, I took in the most AMAZING almost soul cleansing sunset...

...and slowly I became hopeful, hopeful that no matter how devastating this was to a family, it was within God's plan.  Why I have no idea, I may never know (today 10/29, was the service, and Bernadette said the same thing....)  I was also hopeful that this family will make it thru, Bernadette is seriously one of the STRONGEST, most POSITIVE people I know!

In the midst of my talking to God, I took the picture below...  and I swear, it looks like there's an Angel flying in the clouds...  :)

...and then my phone went off...  it was Jaime, she had sent a picture and all it said was " a little glimpse of Heaven" Oh how right she was....  isn't her picture beautiful? 

Bee is someone I have known forever, she's been around so long, she's practically part of the family! when my sister got the call, I prayed for the best, although in my heart I think I knew, and my heart hurt, my heart hurt for someone who deserves nothing but the best...  I couldn't stop thinking about it/them, I was mad, mad that life could be so unfair... I prayed for her, the kids, and mostly for my sister...  I prayed for God to give her the strength she would need to be there for her Best Friend, it's hard, I know, I've been there....

God gives us a sunset everyday that reminds us of the awesome beauty in His creation and shows His unconditional love for you and me.

"Beyond the sunset God

waits for you and me."
Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.- From a headstone in Ireland

Giving Thanks!

1 Thessalonians 5:18

give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Birthday week/month finally came to a stop today...  I'm a little late giving thanks only because the week ended in a way that I wished had been different! 

I had an AMAZING week and I have my family and friends to thank for that! 

I also treated myself to a massage during the week, and I got my hair did, and there may have been a little shopping spree!!  ;)  Not a big one...  we all know shopping isn't really my forte!!! 

Somewhere in there, there was a facial too...  How could I turn down a facial that contained pumpkin enzymes???  haha!!  I know, I have sucker written ALL over my forehead!  :)

I had many a birthday wish...  on the phone, thru txt, on facebook, and there was even a birthday song thru skype!!  ;) 

Oh and as is customary, I got a call from my grandma in Guatemala at 4am...  it never fais, EVEN when I was in college she would call that early....  haha!  I'd blame it on the time change, but I'm not sure that's it anymore!!  ;)

Thank you everyone for making me feel special all week! 

My sister and Mike made me the most DELICIOUS DINNER, and my dad drove a LONG distance to pick me up a yummy birthday cake...  Thanks mom for sending him out there!!  ;)

Then there was a B-day BBQ specially for me...  it contained all of my favorite foods...  YUMMM...  :)

...And I can't forget about the Disneyland birthday celebration..  we went, rode a few rides, walked around, shopped some, mentioned the fact that it felt weird without the kids and then came home!  ;)

Thanks again everyone...  you all did a terrific job making me feel special ALL WEEK!!!  :)

Life's Short. Live Passionately! :)

I took this picture a few weeks ago on my way to work!  I am seriously proud of this picture...  Honestly I have NO IDEA why???  Maybe it's because I feel like I captured what God was trying to tell me PERFECTLY!  ;)

It came at the perfect time too!!  ;)   Oh how I LOVE the pictures God paints for me, so that I may understand what he is trying to tell me!!  ;)

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow."  :)
 -- Albert Einstein

.....and with a little "editing"!  ;)

Life's short. Live passionately!♥
"When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be ALIVE, to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love-then make the day count!"
~ Steve Maraboli

Birthday Weekend!!

Friday: my Birthday!  :)

It was a terrific day..  full of birthday wishes...  and yummy food!  :)  I met the girls for lunch, and then went back to work.  :)  Gaby and Mike made a DELICIOUS dinner in honor of me!!  :)  the food was so yummy that I had to share...  ;)  some day I will figure out how to make the pictures into collages, until then, you get to enjoy them, one by one!!  ;)

My yummy birthday steak!  :)

The salad was just as good as it looked on the picture!  ;)

mmmmm.....  :)

haha!!  YES!  I was excited!  ;)

...and there was wine!  ;)

...and this guy came to the party!!  ;)  isn't he so cute??  ;)

...after dinner, the boys watched TV, and I guess I took a nap!  ;)  that dumb couch gets me EVERY time! 

my mom played with Sisco!

awwww.... :)

My dad traveled far to get me a cake...  and let me tell you it was well worth it!  I LOVED it!  it was definitely tasty!  ;)

Happy Birthday to me, with my Skype friends!  ;)  It's not the same without them!!  ;)

Happy Birthday to me!  ;)

This was seriously the BEST card EVER!!  :)  They had Sisco sign it for me with his paw...  can you see it?  it was super cute!  I LOVED it...  The things dog owners will do!!  haha!!  :)  Thank You Mike for helping to get the perfect signature!  LOVE YOU GUYS!  :)

a family shot...  my brother had to miss out because of work, but he was here in spirit!!  :) We still need to teach Sisco how to pose for our family pictures!  ;)

mom, and her girls!  :)

Thank you guys for everything, everything was deliciously tasty!  :)

Saturday: Birthday BBQ

Thank you! Jessica, Jaime, Melissa, Bobby, Chris, Ella, Lukey, Owen, Brody, Jakey Boy, and Miss Layla for celebrating with me today, the day was GREAT, the food was DELICIOUSLY TASTY, and the company was WONDERFUL!!!  :)  Love you guys!!  :)

The girls!  :)

Ella made goody bags for everyone including me...  the birthday girl!  ;)  she made a moose hand puppet! 

...and Jack-o-lanterns!  there were also butterflies, and other jack-o-lanterns in there too!  :0  thank you ELLA BELLA!  I LOVED your goody bag...  :)

Pretty decorations!  :)  and a perfect day for a BBQ!

mmmm...  The "treat" table....  Jessica made banana cookies and pumpkin bread!!  YUMM!!!  those are a few of my favorites..  and look at those yummy caramel apples too!  :)

They all got together and cooked all of my favorite foods, and I say all, because the boys helped too!  ;)   and we were ready to eat!!  :) tri-tip, corn on the cobb, salad, fruit

...and twice baked potatoes...  :D  I was super excited to see these guys!  ;)

and pasta salad, and pistachio salad, and rolls, and I'm sure there was more stuff I missed...   ;)

...and Melissa made these super tasty apple turnover fritter things that I LOVED....  they are probably my new favorite thing to eat for breakfast!  ;)

Happy Birthday to me!!  :)

Thank you again guys...  Everything was GREAT!  :)  you guys seriously made my day!!  :) xoxoxo

Sunday: Birthday celebration at D-land!

It has become a birthday tradition, Gaby and I go to the Happiest Place on Earth to celebrate our birthdays...  it's sorta like our sister day!!  ;)

I have no idea how we've never ran into this before, but we did today...  they had a special Dia de los Muertos display...  ummm...  ok...  ;) 

Dia de Los Muertos, is a holiday celebrated around the world in many hispanic cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts.

we had to get our picture taken with the skeleton band!!  ;)

Then we moved on to Jack Skelion and the Haunted Mansion!  ;) 

The Haunted Mansion was all ready for Christmas it looks like!!  ;)

Haha!  Gaby bought me a birthday cupcake...  EVERYONE needs a Disneyland birthday cupcake!  ;)

I LOVE Halloween time at Disneyland, I think it's because it means that the holiday's are just around the corner...  and THAT is definitely my favorite time of the  year!!  :)

...and of course we needed the "Traditional" Mickey pumpkin pic!  :)

...and we spotted another perfect picture spot...  WHAT is it with me and pumpkins??  ;)

We decided to call it a day a little early after a few rides...  then we shopped on main street for a bit, picked up a little something for the girls, and decided to go on our way...  we couldn't leave without one of these though...  An Irish Creme frap from Haagen Daaz....  AAAAHHHHMMMMAAAAZZZZIIINNGGGG!  and a great way to end the day!  ;)

Thank you sister...  Disneyland was fun!  :0  Now lets go hit the Michael's sale, and see what other shopping we can do!!  ;)

....And just like that...  Birthday weekend came to an end...  Thanks again to everyone who helped make it as special and fun as it was!!  :)

Thirty-Four!!!

ahhhh....  Birthday's, they come by once a year...  and mine's here AGAIN!  :) 

"A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun. Enjoy the trip!"

This is my chance to bid thirty-three good-bye and welcome thirty-four with OPEN ARMS!! 

Thirty-Three, you were a rough year, But I wouldn't change any of it, I wouldn't do anything differently, as painful as the year was, it has made me a stronger person, and I think I came out of it stronger than I went in, and THAT is definitely a good thing!

• This year was one filled with uncertainty, and fear,
• confusion,
• tears, and LOTS and LOTS of unanswered questions...
• It was also one in which I questioned my morals, beliefs, and even the person I have become, and my expectations from others, as well as my expectations of others. I even questioned God at times, this part I'm ashamed to admit, but it is, what it is, and I did find myself asking WHY? A LOT, I think I have my answer now...  ;)
• It was also a year in which I can honestly say I felt lost, mainly because I finally let "society's" comments wear me down.
• You were also a year filled with happiness,
• fun vacations, and good food
• It was a year full of family and friend fun, 
• It was also one in which I came to the realization that I AM living the life that God intended for me, even if society thinks it's "weird."  like it or not this is where I'm supposed to be, and for the record, i like it!  ;)
• It was a year in which I finally made a hard decision and bid farewell to certain people who are not making my life easier, to people who obviously were put in my path so that I could learn from them, people who helped define who I am, but who also have moved on...  people who brought A LOT of HAPPINESS to my life at one point in time, but who have also brought A LOT of SADNESS, CONFUSION and GRIEF, especially in the last year or two...  Thank you Isaac for reminding me that in order to move on, and live the life that I was "granted", I must let go...  It was hard but I did it, I only got rid of the one, even though I really did contemplate the other two!!  ;)
• This year was also full of lessons, I learned a GREAT deal about Honesty, trust, compassion, friendship, loyalty, and respect. 
• ....AND I re-learned that a hug from a kid will make ANY day better...  Thank you Bea, Jessica and Jaime for letting me be a part of your kid's lives...  :)
• Today I can honestly say that I am looking forward to 34.  Everything seems to be going forward, the way it seems it's supposed to be... 
• I am also lucky to say that in 34 years I have one of the strongest support systems ever...  I have a loving family, awesome forever friends, GREAT friends, a BBF...

so with that I am ready to welcome 34... 

This is going to be a TERRIFIC year, I feel it...  Here's to

"Letting go, and Letting God"!

Now I'm off to enjoy the journey that 34 will bring!!!  :D