from our family to yours...

"for unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord"

Luke 2:11

wishing you peace, love and joy...

celebrating 18 years....

no big parties...

just some time spent with the family...

lola made pancit for lunch...

(it's traditional to serve pancit on birthday days because

it represents a wish for the birthday celebrant's long life.)

we had dinner at a local restaurant called bonefish grill...

and for his birthday we gave him the new iphone 4s

and he is just loving it!

i only have the 4 but i'm good without siri : ).

maddie surprised michael with a home made birthday cake
baked with love by her.

singing happy birthday...

and blowing out 18 candles...

i can't believe he's 18....

time's a ticking...

and ticking fast!

my boy is 18...

18 years ago...

my first little blessing was born...

and today he stands before me 

a handsome young man.

entering into a new chapter in his life 

with more significant set of privileges and responsibilities.

he is a loyal, faithful and forever friend...

a patient, selfless, and loving brother...

"he is kind, he is smart and he is important"

and he is the best son a momma like me

 could ever hope, wish and ask for!

 i am very proud of him...

for everything he has accomplished and overcome thus far...

and i know that great things are in store for him.

happy 18th birthday, son!

know that this momma loves you 

to the moon and back

and will always

be there for you no matter what!

embrace the camera...

and this is why i embrace the camera every week.

not because i think i'm cute.

not because i think my kids are cute (even though they are).

but because we aren't always going to be around.

and it's important to document moments...memories...our life."

emily anderson

this week i am embracing the camera with my boy michael...

we share the same birthday month and birthday week!

and in about 3 days 

this handsome, young man will be 18 years old!

(tear...tear...)

"photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving...

what you have captured on film is captured forever...

it remembers the little things...

long after you have forgotten everything."

aaron siskend

how i rolled for my birthday...

today i turned

ahem...

four-oh + four = 44!

(cough, cough, gasp, gasp)

i could not have asked for a more beautiful day...

the high of 63 degrees in mid-december???

and since nelson is out traveling for work...

he sang "happy birthday to you"

via text!!!

and yes...

today was a much better day than yesterday that's for sure...

it was a day filled with blessings...

starting with 

breakfast and coffee served to me

from my early riser maddie...

another cup of coffee from starbucks along with 

some bangin' homemade peanut butter cookies

made by kylie...

a birthday bag filled with lotsa goodies from shelly...

pomegranites, a box of almonds, 

a bag of starbuck's french roast coffee, 

(that's what i'm talkin' bout!)

birthday cards from her boys and herself and

a paid for 10K race

for april 2012!

oh, the pressure to keep on with this running thing...

a surprise happy birthday song/greeting

from the staff at work...

along with yummy cupcakes and a giftcard!

birthday greetings on facebook 

and via text messages

from family and friends 

spanning all throughout the globe....

my birthday dinner at the cowfish!

with my parents who flew in last night from CA...

and maddie...

(michael and meagan were both working...

and nelson as i mentioned above is traveling for work.)

yummy coconut battered onion rings and fried pickles for appetizer...

FUSION SPECIALTY BENTO BOX 

A combo meal featuring both burger and sushi sweet potato fries, 

Thai cucumbers and edamame.

birthday cards in the mail from family, friends and

blogger friends from the birthday card club...
one from ashley
and from kristen
which included a few loveLee notecards that she made.
super stinkin' cute kristen!
(click on their names to check out their blogs)

lastly, a few of my favorite things...

starbucks coffee giftcards a plenty

and 

 "the help" book 

 from my sis...

and that's how i rolled for my birthday day today!

thank you everyone for making my birthday extra

special and oh, so sweetLee filled!

i totally felt the love...

 feeling favored and and very blessed!

"today is the the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!"

Psalm 118:24

sparkle and shine...

last night was the middle school

sparkle and shine dance...

it's become tradition for maddie and friends 
to get ready together and take pictures before the dance.

and off the they went to dance 2 hours away...

our annual neighborhood luminaires night...

our neighborhood

had its 12th annual luminaires night...

we fill up white paper bags with sand...

add a candle in each bag...

  line the front of the house with the luminaires...

 at dusk...

around 5 p.m. you light each bag...

and all through out the neighborhood

it looks like this...

and this...

and this...

also the homes are beautifully decorated 

like these...

i love, love, love...

 how homes are decorated with wreaths hung on each window...

or a candlelabra on each window sill...

being from california...
we didn't do this...
so i do both : )
 as most others...

wreaths and candlelabras on each window/windowsills.

it must be a southern thing...

it just adds more sweetness and character to the 
normal outdoor christmas decor...

so if we ever move back to cali...

i'm bringing this tradition with me!

and all throughout the night...

we have cars driving through the neighborhood

admiring the holiday spirit that the luminaires bring...