The BIG 4.0!!

Lordy! Lordy...Yes, I am 4.0!!!

CHEERS!!!

I can not believe that I just turned 40. I remember when 40 was soooo old. Feels like yesterday that I was celebrating my 30th birthday. Where does the time go? I am definitely not complaining about turning 40- in fact I am very grateful to be turning 40 and to be celebrating another year of l.i.f.e!!! It is so appropriate that my 40th fell on Thanks-giving because I truly have so very much to be thankful for!  BRING IT!!

My sweet baby girl helped me to make a wish and blow out the candle on my birthday cake.  All my wishes have come true and one of them was sitting right there on my lap.  I am one lucky momma!

Thank you so much to all my friends and family that sent me wonderful birthday wishes.  A special thanks to all the were able to come out to PF Changs to help us celebrate too.  We had a wonderful time and I felt very special!!

Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving was pretty exciting this year.  Not only was it my big 4-0 but I also got to meet a few new family members that traveled to Houston from Mexico.  Keith had not seen his cousins in several years and this of course was their first time meeting me as well as Ahliana.  Keith was proud to show off introduce his girls.

Keith was the eldest son this year so the responsibility of carving the turkey feel on him.  Not a job he particularly wanted but did nonetheless.  I should mention that he did a fabulous job and the turkey was delicious (thank you Randall's for the pre.cooked.turkey)

Ahliana was definitely the life of the party.  The.center.of.attention.  She was wonderful and very well behaved.  Felt a little bad that she was the only child there but she was well entertained and everyone made special time for her.  Prior to eating Papa said grace, then he turned if over to his big sister, then to Ahli.  Ahli's grace:  I am thankful for Jesus, and my mom, and my dad, and all my friends.  Such simple words that she spoke to a table of 20+ people yet they put a tear in my eye.  I was so proud and so touched by these simple few words.

Much needed five minute rest after lots of food and lots of play.

Halloween 2011

Halloween was very busy for us and I love it.  We had a Fall Festival at Ahli's school, a small Halloween party at the house with her school friends, which I had lots of help in hosting from 3 other fabulous mommas, and then of course we had Halloween night.  For two of these festivities Ahliana was Little Red Riding Hood and an adorable one if I do say so myself. Then we had to change it up for Halloween.  She decided that she was tired of being Red and wanted to be Snow White.  Thanks to one of our dear friends who handed down several dress up dresses we were able to fulfill this last minute wish. Again she was the most adorable Snow White of the night.

Along with Halloween parties and  trick or treating we also made a couple of stops at pumpkin patches to get face painting done and take lots of pictures and do some crafts.  I really love October because it is truly the beginning of Fall for us.  Although it has been 80 degrees for the last few days, we did have a couple of cool brisk days that we have been able to enjoy and I am patiently awaiting the next cool front.  We finally went this last weekend to pick up Fall/Winter clothing for Ahliana so now I really am ready.  We have already lite up the outdoor fire pit and we have roasted marshmallows...we have even had hot chocolate.  I am ready for some more...so Mother Nature... Bring.it!