Happy Birthday to ME!

Today marks the start of my 30th year - I am going to call it the year of awesomeness.

The last year of my 20's threw some wrenches my way but looking back I could not be more blessed. 

My wonderful husband is getting his paralegal certificate next month from Rice.

My photography business - Fleurish Imagery - has really taken off.

A couple from my last sessions...

 www.fleurishimagery.com

and I have the most loving and supportive family - and a pretty awesome cat.

I am looking forward to my 30th year - a lot.

I am not nervous about it at all, in fact I am pretty excited. I have heard from several friends that their 30's have been their best years and I fully intend to make it that way. I am pumped to build my business more, and possibly start looking at the option to start the process of putting out house up for sale (that will be more towards 31, but its not to early to start right?) No babies yet, we are still quite selfish, and we both want to establish our careers a bit more but I believe this year will rock my socks.

Bring it on 30!

Source: google.com.au via Jay on Pinterest

Nail Polish Swap

About a month ago or so Celia over at ...just trying to find my way and Tara over at Fabulous but Evil hosted a nail polish swap. I thought it would be pretty fun to participate so I signed up, a week later I found out my partner was the uber sweet Mandell from Nameless for now... We slacked a little bit but finally exchanged e-mails, what our favorite colors were etc...

A few days later we e-mailed and we both had mailed off our packages - super excited as I love getting anything in the mail other than bills or those annoying coupon papers. 

A few days went by...no package

A week went by...no package

Nearly 2 weeks...no package

She got hers and loved it, and then we finally decided that USPS is horrible and it never made it here. I hope someone got it and is enjoying it! Well Mandell decided to resend the package  - which she totally did not have to do especially when she was trying to get ready for vacation! She e-mailed me and told me that the polish was on its way - this time via UPS...take that United States Postal Service!

My polish arrived the next day!!

Look at all these fab goodies!!

• Essie's Master Plan
• Essies's Tart Deco
• Buffing block
• Cuticle groomer
• Liquid exfoliate
  

Here is "Master Plan" on my finger nails - I absolutely LOVE this color!

Thanks Mandell!!

I have always wished...

That I had grandparents.

I mean obviously I HAD grandparents at one time I just never knew them. Well I knew my mom's mom but she lived in New Orleans and I did not see her much, and she passed away when I was a Junior in college.

Source: etsy.com via Teresa on Pinterest

My dad left Cuba with his sister right after Castro took over, left his family and came to the states, they passed away before I was even born.

My mom's dad died young so I never knew him either.

My grandma - well she was grandma. I saw her maybe twice a year and she would sometimes send cards. She passed away from Alzheimer's in her mid 80's (I think she was 83...or 84).

I was always jealous, and to some degree I still am of my friends who have a close relationship with their grandparents.

Grandparents day at school? I always had my godmother come.

Hubs was close with his grandmother, she passed away almost 2 years ago...at 100!

This was taken at her 100th birthday celebration in Feb 2010 - did she not look amazing?

I always wanted to have that special relationship that my friends have with their grandparents. My parents are older so even though I am not ready for kids (make that singular...) I fear that our child will not have the chance to have that either.

It is so great to see Evan (my nephew) with his Nani and Papi, he just loves going over there spending the weekend and going to the recycling place with his Papi.

I think I was most sad for Evan when my brother-in-law's mother passed away in April because now he is with one less grandparent to make those awesome memories with.

I always think more about this during the holidays so sorry for the sappy post!

I am thankful for the awesome family I do have and I look forward to the next couple of weeks of spending the holidays with them, and seeing how excited Evan is on Christmas!

Wordless Wednesday: Recent Session Favorites

Posting on Tuesday night but whateve...I have had a lot of sessions recently here are a few favorites

On Your Feet

This is one of my absolute favorite feet shots. This was from my newborn session with Mr. Owen - I just love his little toes and isn't his mom's ring just gorgeous? Love!

Check out more feet here!

Favorite Holiday Movie

Linking up with the Holiday Blog Challenge....

Today's topic: Favorite Holiday Movie/TV Special

 

Some favorite quotes from my all-time favorite Christmas movie...

"Only I didn't say "Fudge." I said THE word, the big one, the queen-mother of dirty words, the "F-dash-dash-dash" word!"

 

"You'll Shoot Your Eye Out, Kid"

"Stuck? Stuck. It's Stuck. It's STUCK!!!"

 

"Fra-gee-lay. It must be Italian."

"NOTTAFINGA!"

 

"The heavenly aroma still hung in the house. But it was gone, all gone! No turkey! No turkey sandwiches! No turkey salad! No turkey gravy! Turkey Hash! Turkey A La King! Or gallons of turkey soup! Gone, ALL GONE!"

 

 I am sure you guessed it by now...

 

This movie is also one of my most favorite movies ever - I really could probably recite every line. My mom also got me this Christmas ornament last year

There is a button and it plays the triple dog dare scene....love it!

I also love Elf.

I mean who does not love Will Ferrel dressed as a big green elf???

I also love Serendipity - such a cute love story!!

What are some of your favorites??

Our Traditions

I missed day 1 of the holiday challenge so I am failing already but better late than never right? I love the holidays so I thought this would be fun for me to participate in

Today's topic is:

Favorite Holiday Tradition

Before Christmas I always try to make hubs oreo balls, he loves these things and since he is not a big sweets person this is a big deal, plus he actually likes something I make too = )

Christmas is always a big deal in our house, especially since my birthday is on Christmas Eve. Yes Christmas Eve - and to answer your burning questions... 

Yes I get double presents from my parents. Some are wrapped in birthday paper and the others are wrapped in Christmas paper. 

Yes it does sometimes suck to have your birthday on a holiday

..and to top it off Christmas is the following day, and our wedding anniversary is 3 weeks later how was that for planning??

Anyway back to our traditions...

Every Christmas Eve since I was 1 (so this year will mark the 29th year) my parents have an open house party. All of our friends come over for food, drink, and merriment from as my mom says "noonish to 4ish." In the morning as we are getting ready for the party my cake, champagne, and presents are worked in somehow as well. We always joke that I am just the forgotten child, that we have to just hurry up and pay attention to me for a few minutes then we can go about our day.

We then go to church at 5 as a family, come home and head to another open house party for home made tamales and drinks.

Every year my dad always makes his famous Cuban pork - it is SO good and I look forward to it every year. My parents will call a few days before Christmas Eve asking if I can smell Christmas...which means "can I smell the garlic all the way in my house?"

Christmas day we wake up and have breakfast, mimosas, and open gifts, then head over to my parents neighbors and finish off the drinks from the day before and fry turkeys - YUM!

My mom and dad also make THE best Cuban Sandwiches for lunch on Christmas day - really they will be the best ones you ever have, all of our family and friends rave about them. Hooters also has one that is almost identical to my dads, but they will never match his pork!

 
The boys in our family started their tradition of every year getting each other new beers so on Christmas day their day goes something like this...

I also canot forget that it is Bentley's tradition to sit under the tree as soon as it goes up, and once gifts are under it it is his own tradition to chew on the ribbon...

Happy Holidays from our family to yours!