Friday night we celebrated my father-in-law’s birthday at his home with his closest family and friends. We had a really good time, and the highlight of the evening was watching old family slides projected on his living room’s wall. Really special. Another highlight? Reconnecting with cousins that we love very very much.
I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas holiday with your loved ones – mine was great! It was very low-key (just the way I like it) and we got to spend quality time not only with our families but also with our closest friends. I also had the majority of the week off, so it was really nice to take a break from the hectic work week to just relax and focus on the things that are really important.
It also didn’t hurt that we got some great gifts!
Gift cards to help us fix and decorate our new home!
Red Envelope’s couple genealogy tree, which will look beautiful in our new home but is going to prove to be a daunting task!
Amazing owl ring from my hubs. He got it through Lara Lewis’ gorgeous Etsy shop of vintage and estate-style jewelry.
And possibly our most amazing gift this year (besides our home of course), is from my father-in-law:
Yes, a 1970 Kharmann Ghia in tip-top shape! He fooled us at first by saying that he had bought us one that needed a lot of work, but then surprised us with this beauty! Unfortunately, she hasn’t arrived yet but her parents couldn’t be more excited!
I was able to rest up enough to doll myself up for my cousin’s wedding on Saturday night. I wanted to make sure I didn’t look as terrible as I felt, so I got my trusty hairdresser to make me look pretty. I wanted a simple updo, but I’m pretty sure she doesn’t know how to do it if it isn’t fierce. So I got myself a pretty rockin’ do to go along with my awesome dress (it had pockets!). Thankfully, I started feeling better as the day progressed and by the time the wedding rolled around, no one could tell that I had been on my death bed for several days. Ten points for Meli! The wedding was gorgeous and my cousin made a beautiful bride. The reception was at the Epic Hotel, which totally lives up to its name. Her cocktail hour took place on the pool level, which boasted a stunning view of Downtown Miami. But my favorite part of the wedding? The photobooth sitting outside of the reception!!! I am completely obsessed with photobooths so having one I can play with for free made me feel like a little kid in a candy shop! The hubs and I were even brainstorming on how to make our own! How bad ass would it be to have one in our home?? Amazing, me thinks.
The first half of the weekend was all about family. My husband’s family was in from out of town for his grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary. It was lovely to reminisce about the length of their beautiful relationship through both stories and photos. I hope that Augi and I will be able to share such a milestone with our children and grandchildren one day. We spent the majority of the weekend with everyone, had a family photoshoot, attended a special mass and had a delicious family dinner at Trattoria Sole. It all made me realize how important family is and how lucky we are to have them around. Others are not as fortunate.
Saturday was the little man’s 3rd birthday party at Cool-De-Sac! I had mentioned this locale previously, but wow! I have to sing its praises! All the kids had such a fabulous time – the center had a little of something for everyone. Granted, it is probably only for the toddler to 5 year old demographic, but that is probably one of the toughest to entertain! There were stations set up throughout to meet everyone’s interests such as a lego section, arts & crafts, dress up section (complete with on-site manicurists!), jungle gym and tumble/floor area for the little tykes. My favorite? The little kid dance party room! It consisted of a dark room, light-up dance floor (think Madonna’s Ray of Light video) and loud electronic music. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t mind having my birthday party in that room! Oh, and did I mention that they serve beer and have great food? Yep, it’s fun for us big kids too! The little guy had a ball and the hubs got some practice being the party’s main photographer.
Sunday we spent the afternoon at a Nicaraguan festival to support Augi’s family who was hosting the event. It was ridiculously hot (I’m not sweating in the picture, I’m glistening!), but we had a good time with the fam, the food was yummy and dancing was entertaining. We spent the rest of the day gearing up for the intense week ahead of us! Can’t Sundays last just a little longer?
Have a great week, everyone!