Birthday dinner at Phils

I can't say enough about this delicious BBQ place.  The food is so good, the meat falls of the rib good.  For this birthday I picked this place because I usually pick Italian food, but last night we made pasta at home, so it was too early for me to eat Italian again.  Phils BBQ was the best choice.  The kids enjoyed it and they had never been there before, so it was great taking them with us.  The funniest thing happened when we were leaving, it relates to the last picture you see here.  We asked one of the waiters to take a picture of our family right outside the restaurant, but while he took the picture he mentioned that "phil turned around".  Which sounded weird at the time, but then walking out came this man and we started hearing something about Phil, so we turned and asked if he was Phil, and yes it was the famous Phil, owner and founder of Phils BBQ.  We shook his hand and looked very excited about meeting him, you would think we were meeting the president of the United States, goes to show you how big we are on eating good food.  It was a nice ending to our dining experience at Phils.  If you ever come to San Diego, make sure and stop in for some of the countries best ribs and chicken.   Great Food........Great People........Great Service.
Thank you to my children for their presents.  Two of my favorite movies and some yummy dark chocolate.... I love dark chocolate........they know.  Thank YOU.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

It's my birthday today and I'm full of joy and gratitude for all that I've lived in this past year.  I'm happy to be turning 42, I feel no worries about it.  Unlike some women who don't like to age.  I have enjoyed and savored every single year because each year has brought something special and has given me a little more wisdom.  Life is a big giant school and I'm enjoying all it has to offer.  What plans do I have for my birthday?  We are going out to dinner with our children.  Phil's BBQ.  That is yummy and I know the kids will enjoy it.  I know my husband thought it would be him and me together......all alone in a romantic dinner, but this is my philosophy:  I feel that you teach your children what you expect from them.  And this might sound selfish but I want my children to value me and love me and know that birthdays are special.  I hope they will grow up and at least call me on the day of my birthday.  I feel if we don't celebrate and include them now that they are young, someday they will grow up and not care about my special day.  I don't want them to look back and say "well we never used to celebrate your b-day, we didn't know you cared about it so much".  So there, that is my philosophy on teaching children that you are special and they need to value you.  Moms are very special people. And I'm a MOM.

Quinceañera, Mardi Gras style

Daddy and Gilie

Moni and Natalia at the masquerade party

These girls know how to party!

The beautiful birhday girl (center)

Mommy and Daddy

We attended my nieces quinceañera this past weekend.  In the Mexican culture it is a big party thrown for the young girl when she turns 15.  It's a celebration that goes back ages, when people would marry their daughters off at a very young age.  So they would throw these elaborate parties and get the girls looking so pretty, as to attract an appropriate suitor.  But now, they don't marry young, they still have fun with their big party, surrounded by all their family and their very close friends.  We all had a wonderful time at the party.  There was lots of dancing, and I got to see my kids doing some dancing of their own.  It was lots of fun.