Mickey and Friends: A Tribute to the Month of May

This here post is mostly a tribute to these two people:

But especially, this person:

(the one on the right although I love the one on the left equally as much)...

...Yep. That's my brother and I. Never you mind the couple of states that geographically separate us at present.

And here's why:

Please don't judge the above picture of me. I was very swollen with Alessandra Fever (read: 8 months pregnant). Sadly, this is the most recent picture I have of the two (four!) of us together. Let's make sure we work on that one, okay, brother o' mine?

My buddy. My only-other-person-to-hang-out-with-best friend. My weirdly-wet-sense-of-humor-sharer. The main reason I want to have my kids closer together in years. My little brother. My THIRTY year old brother as of May 2nd!

I've watched him grow from Mickey to Mac, and now more frequently, it seems, Mckinley. Where did the years go in between Mickey and Mckinley?!? Now that we have kids and jobs and lives that we pretended to have back then and didn't end up to be as much fun as we thought they would be (Who knew that riding our tricycles along Grandpa's motorhome and pretending all of the valves and attachments were some sort of bizarre McDonald's Drive Thru would turn out to be markedly better than speeding our SUVs through the actual Golden Arches while hastily ordering a meal that we feel guilty about eating ourselves, let alone feeding it to our kids?) I guess it just goes by fast.

One thing I am sure about is that I wish our own kids, so close together in age could hang out more often and it's a bummer our lives have put us on different places on the map. Another thing I'm sure about is that even though we are on those different places on the map, we are in the same place we've always been, which is...My buddy. My only-other-person-to-hang-out-with-best friend. My weirdly-wet-sense-of-humor-sharer. The main reason I want to have my kids closer together in years. My little brother. The map part just happens to make it more legit because now all of these things are true not by circumstance, but by choice.

Here's to you, Mickey. Happy birthday!!!



Also, on May 2nd, my wonderful brother-in-law celebrated his birthday. Happy Birthday Jeff!!


And, a day later on May 3rd, the Collier Clan got to celebrate yet ANOTHER birthday with their son, and our nephew Gabriel Jude!

One year ago today, this little bundle of joy blessed us. The ONLY Nephew on the Torres side. Man, were we itching for a little blue in our lives!

I can't believe how fast you've grown, little man! We love you!


If you can believe it, we had May 4th off from celebrating anything.

But then we were right back to it on May 5th. Or as some in mi familia may call it: Cinco de Mayo!

Alessandra works it in a traditional Mexican vestida originally sent from our prima in Guadalajara to Gianna, and Gianna let us borrow it while it fits. :)




Then, the next day on May 6th, a glorious couple got to recognize the fourth anniversary of their wedlock.


Please note that I stop short of saying "celebrate" here, as Cardo was in Los Angeles for work and I was home with an ailing child. How romantic! Ah, well. C'est la vie. What really matters is the love that has continued to nurture our little family, and in my house, there is plenty. Thank you Cardo for a wonderful twelve [!] years together, the last four of which we've shared with God and/or Uncle Sam depending on who you're talking to.

A wonderful friend of ours also celebrated a milestone birthday this busy, busy week so her boyfriend put together an awesome casino night party that we just had to get a babysitter for! We took advantage of Desiree's 30th birthday and had our anniversary dinner before we attended the party. For those of my pals in the Twin Cities, do me a favor and run, don't walk, to the 128 Cafe in St. Paul and as soon as you sit down, order a rack of ribs. I'm gonna go ahead and say it. Best. Ribs. Ever. I've had Memphis BBQ and I've even been to the Rib Shack and Magic Kitchen. I've even had my mama's ribs. [gasp!] I'm sorry to say that 128's are unequivocally the best I've ever had. Now that's celebrating our anniversary! Yay.

Last but not least on my list of cool blogworthy things to talk about: Mother's Day! Firstly, thank you to my wonderful mama whom I love so much. Even though I just indirectly ripped on her ribs, you can be damn sure that unlike ribs, there's NO 128 Cafe that makes a mama better than mine. My mom has the monopoly on the universe. Mmmmkay?

Coming in at a close second to Joann the Greatest is a three-way tie comprised of Germa Filly, Grandma Dambro and Mama Torres. Although these ladies didn't exactly give birth to me, they have performed the role of my mom at one point or another. Thanks for all that you three do too! Honorable mention goes to my sister in law Yolanda and ALL of my wonderful friends who are mommies.

My day was a nice one indeed. I got to sleep in. It was a little bit hard to do with the sound of all those angels singing, but I managed. Then my husband and daughter took me to brunch. They also gave me a dozen roses and a real pearl necklace. Like from a jewelry store.

Here's me with all my spoils: Flowers, necklace, and Alessandra. :)

Oh yeah. And my new haircut with BANGS! Still getting used to seeing the world through a gossamer of my own hair. And my grays show up like nobody's business, but all the more for Ricardo to pluck at night as we watch American Idol!

Until next time, have a wonderful week!

Hugs,

D