{Girls Night} Couples Holiday Party 2010

Once a month I get together with all of my friends that I work with at LHS and our children. We gather at one of our homes, eat dinner, and the children play together. I know most times when you say "girls night" it means the ladies out on the town without hubbies or kids...but not us. It's actually really awesome what we do, because our kids are growing up together and they look forward to this evening. Sometimes it's a little nutso with the amount of chaos that ensues, but most of the time it's just a fun night for moms and kids alike. This is also one of the reasons why I'm not likely to leave the teaching profession anytime soon...I work at an awesome school with all my amazing friends! I'm a lucky girl.

Once a year, we let the boys in on the action and keep the kids with the sitter. This is the second year we've done this hosted at our home. It's the start of an awesome tradition and we have a TON of fun! This year I set up the photo booth to capture the fun & excitement. Last year we had a full sit down dinner, but this year we opted to have tapas. I can't believe the amount of delicious food we had. Everything from Spanish cheeses, chorizo, olives, seared ahi, Moroccan chicken kabobs, stuffed jalapenos, and the list goes on and on. It was so yummy!

Here's a peek into the fun we had in the photo booth. Can you tell which of my friends love the camera most?

{Dana} 40 is Fabulous

To say this past month was busy would be an understatement! September is always busy with me going back to the classroom. But now it's even busier with my photography business and several birthday celebrations. In the past month (in addition to returning to the classroom) I've shot four weddings, one boudoir session, one family session, and three birthday celebrations. Whew, I'm just a bit tired. But, honestly, each one has been so much fun and lots of awesome memories were made. And that's what's important, right? You can be expecting lots of blog posts in the week to come.

Dana celebrated her 40th birthday with much reluctance but couldn't resist having a fabulous time at her party. I know 40 has such a negative stigma to it and I know it wasn't easy for her to face this day. Can you blame a person when black is the color and "over the hill" balloons are the decor? Sheesh! You can read Dana's thoughts on turning 40 HERE. They say 40 is the new 30, and I can totally understand why. My 20s were a time for much heartache and self realizations, my 30s have been about growth, and I know the 40s will have even more blessings to bring. I think age is something we should embrace. Because every year I feel more love and more loved!

Dana and my friends have a bit of a love affair with karaoke. I don't really get it. But I'm happy they love to do it because I get the best ab workout ever watching and laughing at them (err...I mean with them).

I love this picture of us all but kinda had a good laugh at the two shorties on the left end. Geez! They are all seriously a head taller than Maria & I. Everybody always asks where I got all my tall blonde friends. I'm definitely the odd one of the bunch.

We joked that Cora looked like "Where's Waldo?" The inner model in her coming out, can you tell?

I'm glad that 40 doesn't mean we have to stop being silly.

I love these last shots of Dana with her hubby, Al. Happy 40th Birthday, Dana! Your party was a blast. :)

{Girls Night}

Once upon a time I was married and then I was divorced. It's not something I like to admit or discuss publicly beyond my intimate friends. But it is my story. And I wouldn't have it any other way because I have learned and grown so much. My ex husband and I moved to Southern California from Seattle, Washington to Long Beach. We were a team and did everything together until "together" didn't work any more. When we fiinally seperated, I was left with little to no friends in SoCal because I was the one to do the leaving. As an active participatant in the church, it was a devasting loss. A loss in more ways than one. I lost faith in the church and Christianity. Well, this blog is not about loss or sadness. It's about hope and happiness. In the midst of my divorce, I was connected with an amazing group of women that I work with. I quickly discovered we shared the same faith, hopes, and disappointments. And now our kids our growing up together. It's such a gift and I am so thankful for their friendship and love.