Happy Birthday to me!!

Happy Thanksgiving to the world... is what I would have posted if I had the time to get online on Thursday. LOL!! But that's okay... I had a lot to do that day and made sure that everything was done.
A lot of cooking, cleaning up, cleaning, and hanging out with family... I think that I made the best of my time on Thursday.

By the time I got to bed, I was exhausted! But it was all worth it at the end of the day... Look at this spread!

Thanksgiving 2012

How can you resist this!?

We had so much food and it was all so good!! I enjoyed every single thing that was laid out on that table that evening. 

I even had the energy to make a beautiful looking caramel banana bread trifle... It was so rich and yummy. And darn it! I forgot to bring some for dessert today... that's okay, I can have some later.

So that was Thursday.. which was great! My brother and his family came over (the boys even stayed the night!), Gino, Blanca and Fela came over too... we had a pretty nice group of people for dinner.

Friday was nice... we woke up a little late - 8:30 for me - and then Joel and I made breakfast for everyone upstairs. Banana pancakes, eggs and turkey bacon! YUMMY!!!

I helped my mother clean up the kitchen and Joel, the boys and Mayalis went downstairs to play. I also helped my mother rearrange the two extra bedrooms for more room. They turned out pretty nice.

After we were done there, Joel, Mayalis and I got ready to go to my mother-in-law's house for Thanksgiving with them. We stayed there until about 9pm and then we came home to just relax.

Saturday, I took my mother to pick up her new glasses and then we went to Golf Mill Mall to see if I could find something for me to wear for my birthday gathering that night. So we checked out Ross and I couldn't believe that I did find something to wear. I got a dress, some tights and some new boots and wore that.

Dinner was so yummy!! I got my sushi fixed filled... and was it filled! LOL! I was so stuffed by the time we walked out of the restaurant.

Now tell me... how can you not enjoy food when it is presented like this?

Yummy, yummy for my tummy!!

Joel is even talking about even going back to the original place where I got my first REAL fix for some more... but that's for a later date! LOL!

And oh my goodness... all the bottles of wine that I went through while we were all talking and eating.

The guests that I had at the restaurant were Lisa L, Danielle (and her date), Karla and Angel, Javy and my high school best friend Maggie (which was a total surprise!) and of course Joel.

But it was after the dinner that the real fun began... and the joke was on me.

Originally, I had made plans to head to a night club downtown for some Salsa and Merengue dancing but I guess my wonderful husband had other plans. I found out later that he had sent out an invite to the people that I had invited to the Spanish club to a bar closer to home.
So after being told a story that we needed to stop at this bar so my girlfriend can meet someone really quick, I was surprised by all my friends. It was such a wonderful surprise... I loved it!

The hubby and I... isn't he just the cutest?!

Cassie and Jose

Mike and his new bride, Wren

Ladies and I...
Left to right: Griz, Lisa, me, Karla and Danielle

We had a fabulous time! And boy did I drink!! LOL!! What took me over the top was the two shots that I took with my brother. But thankfully I didn't vomit at all... I was able to keep myself together. LOL!

I got home and just went straight to bed... and it was nice to just drift away after having such a wonderful night with some really great people.

Sunday was just as nice... after getting up and having breakfast with Joel and Mayalis, we headed out to take Mayalis to the movies, as promised. We went to see The Rise of the Guardians - and I have to say that it was a pretty good movie for it being a kids movie. Huge message of believing in yourself and in those things that cannot see either. Sometimes it's those things that we don't see that brings us the most joy in our life.

And after getting home, Mayalis was asleep and I put her in our bed... and was able to get 3 loads of laundry done and put clothes away while she was asleep. It was great to be able to get so much done last night.

Now I am here... 

Sometime this week I need to pick up my packet for the race this Saturday! 
OMG... I can't believe that I will be running/walking/sprinting my first 5k this coming weekend! I am both excited and nervous at the same time. I need to get in some runs this week... because I need to work on my time. I am really praying that I can finish the whole thing in about 45 minutes. That should be good for me to work from there on improving my time.

Today being my actual birthday... I am very blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life. I am so lucky...

I have been called by different people and they have sang over the phone to me... I even received a call from my princess telling me Happy Birthday Mommy! OMG... my eyes teared up when I heard her say those words to me.
So you know that I am so looking forward to getting home to her this evening...

So here is to another wonderful year ahead of me...

And with that... this is the first picture of the 35 year old me! :-)

11/26/2012 - 35 years young!

And with each passing day, I hope to see a different person staring back at me when I look in the mirror. I am more dedicated than ever to say goodbye to this weight for good.

So many wonderful things are waiting for me in the future and I need the extra energy in order to attain those things. And I am looking forward to all the fantastic things that lay ahead for me in life. 

And I know that with my own strength, I will be able to see those changes come to me. :-)

5 days until my first 5k.
13 days until the princesses 50-yard dash.
14 days until the hubby's birthday.
And so many other things that are on my calendar!

Wishing everyone a blessed and beautiful day! Hasta la proxima!