G's Birthday Dinner

After mommy got her act together, we decided we must have a special birthday dinner celebration for Georgia.  We were still lacking the cake and candles!  Our Doha family, the Austin and Harris families came over to make it official.  We started off at our compound pool. Nothin' like a little oreo to celebrate!

 

Sweet girls...Emery, Georgia and Gabi

 

 Crews and Brooks

 After some pool time we headed home to enjoy the local middle east cuisine and have some Elmo fun with Georgia.  

The mamas and daddies!

Pin the nose on Elmo

 Presents with a sweet homemade card from Emery

 Kitchen goods, new duds and some shades!  Set to go!

 Gabi helping Georgia open her new washer and dryer

Cupcake time! 

 Georgia loved the singing and was happy to clap for everyone when it was all over!

The birthday girl! 

Another Very Important Birthday!

Georgia and I left Dallas on Tuesday afternoon.  We had the absolute best visit and treasured every minute.  Since living in Doha we have been blessed with the opportunity to travel to places in this world I would have never dreamed of BUT there is no vacation or trip like HOME.  For me, there is no better place to feed my soul and fill me up.  We could spend our the rest of our lives and money on the most amazing relaxing vacation but it wouldn't come close to the value I treasure in a trip back to be with my family.  Don't take family for granted whether you live down the street or on the other side of the world.  They are home! Every bit of our jet lag and every hour in the air was worth what we got in return. 

Georgia was only two days away from turning two years old when we landed back in Doha.  So we kicked it gear to celebrate her as well! Afternoon or what some refer to as high tea has become a little tradition for us to do with Georgia.  So on Friday afternoon we went to the brand new St. Regis Hotel for afternoon tea.  Needless to say its not the most perfect atmosphere for kids under 6, especially boys...but we survived and so did the St. Regis. The boys were so excited to celebrate with Georgia!

Birthday Queen

 

Little bubbly apple juice to make the afternoon really special

 

They were so accommodating to these little ones.  They so kindly made a place for them to color away from the stemware! 

 

Enjoying the goodies!

 

Two monkeys! They love the stuffins out of each other and can also push each others buttons!

After tea we went home to unveil the big birthday present. Mommy brought back a kitchen for Georgia all the way from Texas.  We took it as extra luggage and saved ourselves hundreds of dollars.  Buying it Doha would have tripled the cost, plus it wouldn't have been what we really wanted.

 

While Daddy and the boys were putting together the kitchen Georgia skyped with her cousins, Anna and Graham to open the present they sent her.  It was a fun kitchen toy!  

The boys were just as excited about the kitchen! 

 Birthday Queen apparently owns the cucina!

Cute as a Button Boone!

Ashley's sweet friends and I hosted a little sprinkle for baby Boone on Monday night. They (including the ready to pop) Ash were patient to wait for my surprise visit so I could be there.  It was such a great way to end my trip and such a joy to celebrate with Ash since I couldn't be there for Boone's arrival.  We had a lot of fun just hanging out, eating mexican food (go figure) and preparing mama for her next little button! 

We can't take any credit for this theme...it was done first by one of my dearest friends in Waco who is a genius when it comes to party planning and creativity.  Caryn hosted a similar shower for her sister a few months ago.   Its so easy and so cute.  

Amanda made these cute letters for our centerpiece.

 

Caryn wrote the sweetest little prayer magnet that we also borrowed to give to the girls who came for dinner.

 We asked everyone to fill-in-the-blank.  "I Hope You..."  for the Mister Boone Watkins Hall.

 Long time family friend Julie with me and Ash Hotesses: Janet, me, Ash, Amanda, Sarah

 And for the cherry on top, my precious friend Jen came so I could hug her neck. She was in town from California and we couldn't leave town without seeing each other!

Birthday Away and Birthday with Friends!

Part of our plan for months was to take mom away for a little time by ourselves.  So our amazing one-of-a-kind Papa kept Georgia for us to spend some time at the Gaylord Texan.  What an awesome place.  Before we landed at the Gaylor we stopped in downtown Grapevine for delish Mexican food...do you sense my south of the border pattern?  

I believe we had a stuffed fried avocado from Esparzas...go now! 

 

View from the elevator

On our way to spend our afternoon at the spa

 Heading to dinner in Fort Worth

 Why haven't we always spend some QT in Fort Worth...such a great city and downtown is so fun.  Definitely different than the Big D scene!

We dined at the ever so famous Reata! HOLY MOLY! Somebody's been holdin' out on us!  INcredible!  Here's Ash with the jalapeno mac and cheese! Yes please!

 These were the beef tenderloin tamales!  Not pictured are the coma inducing cheese grits! 

 

Here we are rolling out with our take away box! 

 So after we stuffed our faces to celebrate mom's birthday we decided to go all out and hit up OldWest Cafe.  What Ash is carrying in this picture is whats left of the banana nut pancakes with peanut butter syrup.  UH HUH!  See ya this summer!

We finally relieved Dad and Dave of baby duty and returned home after a great night sleep and a few pounds heavier!  

 Until Georgia and I made an appearance, Mom thought they were planning to spend the weekend away with a little group at their friend's farm.  

So our last little surprise was a birthday dinner with a few of mom and dad's dearest and oldest friends who they were planning to spend their weekend with

 Happiest Birthday to my Mama! What an incredible weekend with memories that will last forever!  After a lot of brainstorming I sure am glad this is how we decided to do 60!! What a fun surprise that blessed me more than it did you.  I promise!  And what a fun few days Georgia got to spend with her Papa!  There is something very special those two share and watching them gives me just a little idea of what it must have looked like to see a certain daddy with his daughters 30 plus years ago.  I love you both so much I can't describe it!