Dancing Diva's

The girls each took a dance class this last 'year' and they did their momma proud. Laneya took Tap with our cousin Marci as the teacher and Carina took a hip hop class. Each of them did great on day 1 which is the video below and on the second day the attitude really came out! Gotta love it. They also look so dang cute in their dance pics. Now if only I could freeze those smiles in place so that I didn't have to see their every present 'tween' faces ;) Next year they are both going to take a hip hop class and Neya will take cheer and Carina will take Jazz as well. We will have some busy schedules!

love. our. girls.

Carina Dance 2012 - Chunky

Laneya Dance 2012 - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Happy Birthday Tiff!

In one persons life they are not often blessed with so many fabulous people to surround them but in my life I have been. I am very aware that I am lucky gal. Among those people is my very very good friend Tiffany. Funny back story. We were once friends who passed notes and chatted in classes until a boy came between us. Oh to be young again. We met up again due to...yep...you guess it...a boy. My boyfriend...husband now, was her hubby's really good friend. Who knew. Separated by a boy. Brought together by a boy. My how things work out. In the last 9.5 years or so we have only gotten closer and our lives have become so much more intertwined. She is a fabulous person who even in the face of some very gray days has seemed to be able to hold a smile on her face and much love and joy in her heart. 

Tiff. You are someone I am blessed to call a friend and more importantly a sister. We don't need to have the same blood in our veins to show the world how close we are and that makes me so very happy. You are someone I look up to, who I go to for advice and who will always have the ability to listen and calm my nerves. You are truly fabulous. You are a great mother and amazing wife and I can only hope to be able to continue to share our lives for many years to come!

NOW that all the sappiness is gone...let me tell you what went down for her Dirty Thirty! Me, her bestie and her hubby decided that this busy momma to 3 kids who are 2 and under deserved a day for her. Her hubs and bestie put the morning pieces together while her bestie and I worked on the afternoon portion  and we were able to surprise her with a day of pampering, wine tasting, fun and friends! It was my first time wine tasting and what a blast I had. We got to ride around in style in a limo suited for "Bieber" as Neya would say and we got to hang at the house afterwards and celebrate this special lady. It was awesome to be able to pull off such a big surprise and I have to admit...I don't know many people more deserving. 

Tiff. I love you. I am proud and honored to call you my friend.  

Momma's Day!

I have technical already posted this but my computer decided to freeze up (I thought MAC's were more stable than PC's..PSSH!) and with that freeze came a deleted post. Lame. This mothers day was full of love and special people. We started out with my mom and had breakfast and then wished her well as she went off to Davis to spend the day with my little bro and dad and we went off to the Dixon May Fair to spend the day with the Snook Family! We had a blast, from watching the kids ride rides and eat cotton candy and we also watched the pig races (where Carina was the "cheering captain" for one of them) and we even watched the little kids ride little scooter bikes. We decided we had lost our marbles a little and took our two families (of a combined 10 people) and ate at Cattlemans. Shockingly enough we were able to eat our whole meal and sip a couple drinks, all the while our kids were pretty darn well behaved! When we left there we met up with RC's mom and grandma and enjoyed some yummy frozen yogurt. My mothers day could not have been any better!

So to end this post I will try to leave you with some words straight from the heart...

13 years ago my world was turned upside down. I was told that this young lady was going to be a momma. Despite the direction my life could have turned, I decided that for me and my little one I would take a different turn. I grew up quickly but that journey to motherhood had me grow up in ways I had never imagined possible (at least not at 17). I became protective, I became overwhelmed with emotion and I learned that no matter how much I thought I had already loved people that this little miracle showed me that love was truly bigger than I ever though possible. She stole my heart. As the years went on I was lucky enough to be able to call 2 more little ones my babies. They each have their moments where they make me question my sanity, question my patience and most definitely make me question my choice to take that other path so many years ago. NO matter the struggle though, or the heartache or the eye rolls that come my way I am grateful to be called mom, mommy, momma and sometimes 'mommacanipleasehavethisprettypleaseohpleasemomma'...

With all that being said I need to also say a special shout out to both my moms...

Momma Debbie...none of this would be possible had I not had such an amazing role model in my life. Mom, you have been there for all my milestones, first breakups, every birth of my own children, my wedding and for lots of tears that each of those milestone brought. When I was at my low of lows you could bring me smiles and I am glad that you are always there. I am not sure how I would have turned out as a mom had I not had you to look up to and every single day I am thankful to have you in my life.

Momma Frances...it hasn't always been an easy road but it has been OUR road. For all the time that was missed or all the teenage anger that was held in, at the end of the day I love you and am glad to have you in my life. You are a special person and I hope that you, me and my family continue to make memories for you and I to share...