Friday night paaaaaaartay!

Hmmm..... 
Some dear friends are throwing me a belated birthday party tonight.  
I don't know what to wear!?! 
I know my hair and toenails look cute....


....now to figure out the inbetween.


But I KNOW I'll be happy, two of my favorite people will be there and that's good enough for me.  


♥


............
4:08pm:
Ok, I know what I'm gonna wear! I found some cute grey ballerina flats while out shopping today and I have a deep purple top that I never wear, matched with jeans and I think I'll be good.  I'm stoked cause I'll be able use my CUUUUUUTE birthday purse too!  
I really want to get ready right now!  
STOKED & a lil nervous......


I guess I'm nervous because I have a like/dislike relationship with being the center of attention. I mean, I know I won't be the center of attention the whole time, but it's a party for me & my birthday.  I rather just shrink away in the corner talking to a close friend or holding BabyChleo that I LOVE so much.  You have no idea how touched I am that someone would want to throw me a birthday party.  This month has been the BEST birthday month ever!! I feel like I'm constantly getting birthday cards/greetings/gifts every other day from loved ones.  I couldn't be more grateful to be surrounded by such heartfelt love.  My cup runneth over.....

Yo quiero!!

As I was driving home from Volleyball tonight, Mana started playing...

Then it got me thinking of how much I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have a fiesta for my birthday!

I'd love to have Papel picados hang about with a pinata, of course!

We'd eat Carnitas tacos, rice & beans (the 3 Mexican things I CAN cook with ease!)

And we'd have Pineapple Upside Down cake for dessert...I love cooking for those I love!

This is what I'd wear and look like:

(in dress form, because I think it's more fun to wear a dress on your birthday)

Mana, La Quinta Estacion, Juanes, Shakira, Julieta Venegas, Alejandro Fernandez would play from my iPod...

...and we'd all sit around and talk under the light of:

And to end the night: 

Wouldn't that be the BEST summer birthday party/fiesta ever?!

I know it would! :)

OBSESSED!!!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE PAPER LANTERNS!!

It just makes me want to have a party!! It'd be so festive and FUN!!!

I love the simplicity and beauty of these paper lanterns!!

Plus it makes me think of Chinese New Years!

{my favorite holiday}

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

the Debutante!

Friday was AMAZING!!! I SERIOUSLY LOVED IT!!!!

Here's the lovely Debutante, Tori!

The oh so beautiful Crown Room of the Hotel Del Coronado!

My niece and I tearing it up on the dance floor!

My cousin and I in our formal dresses...so much fun to dress up!

Sorry there's not more pictures....but wow, it was such a fun night. I'm so freakin' glad I found something awesome to wear. I love my dress from that night! I can't wear it again! What a great night!!

Magical...simply magical!!

It was such a magnificent evening. SO splendidly wonderful!! I almost gave up trying to find a formal dress, but I was L.U.C.K.Y!!! And my hair turned out more beautiful than I could have imagined! And that was by total accident. I was just going to leave my hair down, but since I bought some feathery flower clip, I loosely pulled my hair to the side and rolled it into a bun and stuck the flower on. I had a few hair tendrils fall around my face and I was amazed that I even did that myself!! My make up turned out pretty and overall I think I looked fabulous and felt very classy! I loved it!! [Sorry, I don't have my USB cord to download the pics :( ]

From the second I arrived at the Hotel Del, it was just extraordinary!! Valet was awesome and every employee I walked past was so helpful. I loved my dress!! It was long and black and the material was just right...I don't know how to describe it, but it made me feel special. I felt like I truly belonged at the Hotel Del. I felt like a million dollars!! I loved it!! The Crown Room as just as beautiful as all the pictures I had ever seen!! I couldn't believe I was actually partying it up at the Hotel Del! I wasn't just a random person walking around, I was there with purpose!

During the Debutante Ball, I needed to go downstairs to the shops to find an ATM (valet parking). As my niece and I were walking around the 'common folk', people were turning around and commenting how beautiful we looked in our gowns. It made me feel special....I finally felt like those carefree patrons I had always admired at "The Del". It was fun being all dressed up! I loved it!

My 17 year old niece and I danced the night away.....SO.MUCH.FUN!!! I think this made up for my not so nice prom. It was amazing!! It made me think a lot about my fairytale wedding reception that I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have at the Hotel Del Coronado. Every single detail of the Del is just truly amazing!!

I had such a WONDERFUL evening!!! I'm so glad everything came together! Can't wait to post pics!

Brutal.Honest.Truth.

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* Disclaimer*

I was reading a friend's blog the other day and it made me wonder if I 'sugar coat' my blog. If I do, it's not because I'm trying to paint a picture of a perfect life. If anything, it's because I can be too harsh in the things I think and say. So starting now, there will never be any type of blog 'sugar coating'. I figure if you're my friend, then you know me and you know my heart. If you get offended, well....sucks to be you!

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And with that said....

Can I just say that I'm tired of "potlucks" disguised as "parties".

I was invited to a 'going away' party yesterday for an acquaintance. When I asked her for the location, she gave me an address and told me to 'go ahead and bring a dish too!'. That's the second party last month that was a mandatory potluck. Why even have a hostess?? What is she hosting....you to the table with the food and gift you just brought?? If you can't afford a party and it turns into a potluck--maybe you shouldn't be throwing a party in the first place! And if you do throw a potluck--I think you should provide the main course. That's just poor form!

Needless to say, I didn't go to the party yesterday. Some friends didn't understand my reasoning, but I don't care. Don't say you're throwing a party if the rest of us are bringing the food!

I just might like working here...

Wow! Last night was insane and SUUUUPPPPPER fun!! I had such a blast!! It was at the Gaslamp Marriott, in Downtown SD. The dinner portion of the party was nice and it was great seeing all of my co-workers outside of the office...away from the stress! Everyone looked FANTASTIC!
Then...
We headed upstairs for the after party at the Altitude Sky Bar. I was more excited for the "sky" part than the "bar" part. It was still fun and I loved the fact that my Shirley Temples were free! :) I was definitely a happy camper!! The view was TERRIFIC! Even though I wasn't looking forward to the looooong elevator ride up or the fact that it was 22 floors up---it was ALLLLL worth it!
There wasn't much dancing upstairs, since it's more of a lounge than a club. It was so fun getting to know everyone and just being out of the office was fun in itself. I even got to talk it up with Mr. NY. WOW!! WWWOOOOOOWWWW!!! We were inches from each other's face as we talked. It was bitterly cold, so it was extremely nice having his arm around me. I liked his nose and his eyes are even MORE beautiful up close. Can I just say, that I would NOT mind waking up to that face for the rest of my life. It's beautiful! And his Pectoral Majors are nice as well. Let's just say that the night ended quite lovely with us giving each other a hug and kiss on the cheek. I have a new found love for work :) :) :) .

I invited my friend PJ & Khany along. It was so fantastic hangin' out with them. Sandra (last photo) is my partner in Dispatch. I love how FREAKIN fabulous I look!! A definite incentive to go to the Gym and become even MORE fabulous lookin'! All I've gotta say is I am DEFINITELY lookin' forward to next Christmas' Knox Party!!

(Here's more photos for your viewing pleasure!)