Angie!!!!

"How do I love thee?" ... I can't even begin to count the ways! Neither can I imagine my life without you in it. We've known each other for 26 or 27 years (?) and have been friends for about 24 of them. 

You've been my confidant these many years and have been there for me through some of my darkest days, always loving, always hopeful, always kind, always helpful, never judging. You've seen the good and the bad and you still love and care about me. Thank you forever!

I hope my daughters are as lucky and blessed as I am to have a best friend like you. I wish we could've spent more of these past years together. Thankfully though, physical distance doesn't interfere with our bond. We have always just picked up where we left off and I do hope that that never changes.

This world needs more people like you ... I need you. :D I hope this new year is all you wish it to be. Happy birthday! Love you so, so, so, so very much!!!

P.S. I know my mom has pics of us as kids somewhere in the house, I just didn't get around to digging them up, heh.

P.P.S. You're the best chocolate mule ever!! Lol!

1994:

2001(?):

2009:

2014:

This one's just because I love this pic of 2 of my favorite people in the world!

'Twas a Happy Birthday

We celebrated Alina's 11th birthday a few days earlier with a pool party and a delicious barbecue. She invited the girls from her class (yes, there are only 5, including her) and unfortunately, Grandpa was traveling for work so he missed it. They had loads of fun swimming, playing, eating, having a water balloon fight, checking out Marina's cats, and in the end checking out part of Alina's library and oohing and aahing over her latest Dork Diaries (7 and 8). 

Thanks ever so much to Grandma for making all the trimmings and uncle Diego who took care of the meat! There wouldn't have been a bbq without you, heh. 

 Grandma and cousin Arthur:

A froggie filling her balloons:

The tweens:

 When Grandpa came back from his trip, he and Grandma took the girls and I out to dinner to celebrate Lili's birthday together.

Striking a "Laura" pose:

My big girls!

And at last, the actual day arrived! As is tradition, she opened [the rest of] her presents before heading to school.

October Happenings

A silly goose snacking on the trampoline one sunny afternoon:

Monkeying around:

Yes, a trampoline is a perfect place to read:

My big girl doing her homework:

At a friend's birthday:

Laurie was suuuuuper excited when she got up the morning of Halloween. I don't know where she got the idea from, but she thought there was going to be a party at school. She had even set aside her princess dress and pumpkin pail for "trick-or-treating". Poor thing, she was soooo disappointed when I informed her that there wasn't going to be anything at school. I ended up buying some chocolates and candies for her and Alina and when they got back from school they pretended to trick-or-treat in the house (their uncle and aunt were kind enough to hand them the treats, heh).

And Marina's cat had babies: