My birthday!

On the 15th, I celebrated my 29th birthday.  It's my last year in my twenties!  And, I must say, it wasn't as miserable of a birthday as I imagined it would be. Birthdays are a significant milestone, meant to be celebrated, and I've been a pretty lucky girl when it comes to celebrations.  Last year was a major, major adjustment to celebrate my birthday.  It was much different than years passed.  This year I celebrated with good friends the day before with dinner at Hula Hut- a fav!, dessert at Mozarts with a Christmas light show and on my birthday while at work got a little surprise from my employees,a dozen of the most gorgeous long stemmed roses from an amazing friend, and dinner with Mike's parents. It was overall a really good day!

Even more than it being my birthday, and it just being a different kind of day, 9 years ago, Mike and I met in person for the first time.  This, of course, after he stood me up on our first date. We were practically babies back then!

 

Thought I would share some previous birthday pics for fun:

My 21st birthday at Baby Aculpulco and some margaritas, followed by my first trip legally down 6th street, 

followed by the next day going on my first cruise as a surprise from Mike!

 

 

 

7 years ago- Dinner at Chuys followed by the Trail of Lights, when the Trail of Lights wasn't a crazy disaster!

 

And many, many fun birthday dinners out with Mike and good friends!

Ok.. Who did it??

Who took my sweet, innocent, cuddly, babies:

And turned them into feisty, strong-willed, busy, independent toddlers???

Kids just celebrated turning 19 months old last week.  

They are getting SO big.  They are no longer itty bitty babies, but more like real people, albeit still little people.  Their vocabulary is exploding, they are on the move CONSTANTLY, they follow directions when told (and not utilizing their selective hearing skills!), they want to help with everything you're doing, and they are just bursting at the seems with their personalities.  

19 months old is an incredibly fun, yet exhausting age!

We went to go see Santa last weekend.  A brief recap of last year where visiting Santa was no big deal!

We went 50-50 this year!  Still, if you ask Michael if he wants to go see Santa he shakes his head no and says "No, no, no, no, no".  Traumatized, much? lol

Besides, Madison's precious smile while visiting Santa, what I love about this picture is that Madison is wearing MY baby dress from my Christmas when I was 2 years old!  I'm so in love with her so dressed up and to have her in my dress! 

 I put her in my dress, last December 2013, me in the dress in 1987, and my sweet Madison this year, December 14, 2014. Does she look like she is related to me?!?!  ;)  I certainly don't think I can deny her!

I can hardly believe my babies are growing up soooo fast and Mike is missing every bit of it.  How is it that they are now closer to 2, than they are from when they turned 1?!  Slow down time, I need just a little longer with them as my babies!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! 

No one tells you that no matter how long it's been, how well you are doing, no matter what changes in your life, holidays are still hard. It's our 2nd Thanksgiving without Mike and everything is so different from what it once was.  We spent 7 Thanksgivings together.  We spent them in Katy, Huntsville, Humble, and Austin. This Thanksgiving I'm a little more thankful than angry like I was last year. I'm thankful for my amazing friends and family, the people that have loved us, supported us, and carries us through the last year.  I'm thankful for our health and home. I'm thankful for my amazing kids. THEY are the reason I survived this year. They gave me something to fight for when I felt like I had nothing left to give. 

Be thankful today. And when you're arguing over a burnt turkey, a pie that was a flop, or the chairs you need out of storage, just remember to be thankful that you're spending it with the ones you love.  Be thankful they're there and you don't have to celebrate with them. 

2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2013

One and a half

18 months. 1 1/2 years.  M&M are half way through the year to turning 2.  TWO!!!  Where have my babies gone?!   I don't know... but I assure you that these two are most certainly toddlers.  They are well on their way to entering the "terrible twos" phase.  They can throw a tantrum like no other.  I had no idea that babies were so strong until you try and pick up a temper tantrum throwing toddler that looks like a flailing fish!

Life is fun, exciting, unpredictable, exhausting, unexplainable, and a little bit scary with 2 toddlers.  I can't say it enough how much I just LOVE watching them learn and grow and experience new things for the first time.  Even more so, watching their personalities develop and seeing just how much they are just like Mike and I. The similarities are uncanny!

This month they 'celebrated' their daddy's 29th birthday, went to a pumpkin patch and have gone crazy over their mini pumpkins, carved pumpkins and attempted the remake of last year's picture with them sitting in a pumpkin, went to the park for the first time, and Michael said "I love you" to his sister for the first time! 

Pumpkin Patch 2014

 

Just a boy, his boots, and a pumpkin!

 

They were less than impressed with my pumpkin charades!

My little diva boy

Sister has been sharing her kisses for a long time now, brother bear has finally caught up!

 

Experiencing "time out" for the first time.  At least they willingly went together!

First experience at a park!

Our very own Mickey and Minnie Clubhouse

My Texas girl loooves her Uncle Philip!

Isn't she gorgeous?!

Happy Halloween!

From the cutest pink poodle and puppy dog you have EVER seen!  Thank you Happy Soul Photography for another great Halloween Fundraiser photo session!

17 Months

Where is the time going??  A few days late, but how are they already 17 months old?  They grow every day and I love watching them as they explore and learn new things.  Happy 17 months, my precious ones!  Mommy loves you!

Afternoon selfie after a 2 1/2 hour nap!

Country Bumpkins!

Michael's first hair cut.  *sob*

 SUPER big smiles for their morning walk!

Mr. Diva

Smiles!

Loungin'  What?  You don't kick back in the sink and brush your teeth while bathing??

Sure do love them some Uncle BeeBee!

Kissin' a chicken on Aunt Wendy's farm!