{ Jasmine's 18th Birthday Get Together }

She's not officially 18 until Tuesday the 25th, but when you have family all over the place, and her birthday falls on a week day, it's easier to throw a get together the weekend before, or after, whichever works for the family.

I had planned on doing it next weekend but my mother in law is currently going through chemotherapy treatments for breast cancer, and she couldn't make it next week as she is having one of the treatments on Thursday.  So we switched it all up to this Saturday, in order to accommodate her and allow her to be here for this special birthday.

Friends, I am a total mess at the moment.  I'm ready to cry at the drop of a hat, I'm struggling with her growing up and I don't quite know what to do with myself.

Anyway, I wanted to show you a few pictures from her get together, it wasn't anything big, she didn't want anything more than just a cake and the closest family members around, so it was perfect.

First and foremost, may I introduce you to mini me?

Holy smokes she really is a carbon copy of me, especially at her age.  It's crazy.

Now I will have another post up on her actual birthday and it's going to be a really hard one for me to write because my emotions around this big birthday are all over the place.  That's for another time, let me just show you some pics.

I will never have smooth cakes, like never.  I'm determined to continue using and dabbling with fondant but the smooth thing?  Not gonna happen LOL

I guess it's a little mirror of my life, full of wrinkles and bumps but beautiful none the less :)

I kept it very simple, just little flowers but she lovesssss feathers and I had some decorative ones laying around so just popped them on the bottom.

Now here's the all elusive Nick.  This 14 year old boy hates photos and at this point in life pretty much hates social interaction of any kind, so to have him do this was quite unexpected and hilarious LOL

He adores his sister though so he did it for her :)

This is my Jasmine, everything in these pictures capture her essence, and who she is.

Bubbly, fun, colorful, all over the place, living life freely and to the fullest.

What these pictures don't show you is the constant struggle inside, the depression and the anxiety, the over emotional, doubting, questioning turmoil she faces on a daily basis.  But she fights it and she pushes through and she is determined to not let that define who she is.  I'm so proud of her!!!

I have to laugh when I see this picture because this is our life on a daily basis, her expression cracks me up.

Father and daughter, they've had quite a tumultuous relationship.  I think they are very much alike and she reminds him a lot of how he was at her age, which terrifies him lol

They've been doing a lot better the past year, they seem to finally have clicked and even though there's still a little clash once in a while, for the most part they are getting along fine.  It all boils down to her growing up and dad not being ready for that.

Grandpa Ken and Grandma Pat.  How fun are these grandparents?  Hahahah 

I'm so proud of my mother in law, she is battling breast cancer for the second time around, and she's doing wonderfully under the circumstances, I think a big part of it is her unwavering faith.

But yes, we are so thrilled and thankful that she is able to still come to these get togethers :)



Aunt Nita, she is the sweetest lady ever.  We were so happy that she was able to be here with us and smile and laugh.  If you remember, she just lost Uncle Mike a few weeks ago, so to see her smiling means a lot :)

Here's cousin Cindy, Jasmine loves her to death and vice versa.  :)

And we all love this lady hahaha  This is Aunt Carol, my mother in law's sister and Cindy's mother.  She is such a fun person to be around, the kids all love her and we do too.  If you want to enjoy a good card game, she's the person to go to :)

My babies.  Oh my word, they make my heart so proud.  Can you believe she's the big sister? hahahah

They adore each other but can fight like cat and dog.  There are days that it seems the minute they wake up they are at each other's throats, but when it comes down to it, they defend each other, and protect one another and are always together when they can :)

My nephew Colby hahaha  Let me tell you something, when he and Jasmine get together, they're trouble with a capital T.  These two have such a cute bond, they make us laugh so much with their craziness.  Trying to get a serious photo out of them is near impossible.

My brother Miguel and my sister in law Hayley.  If you remember, a while back I told you they moved down to Texas to be near us.  I'm so beyond happy and blessed to have them nearby,  I don't know what my life would be without them.  I have actually been friends with my sister in law for almost 30 years, it's insane, I don't think of her as anything other than my sister :)

I have to share this picture because my daughter wants to move out in a few months and all she's asked for her birthday was things for the home.

I never thought I would be at this stage in my life hahaha  I'm not ready for this at all, and it's so strange seeing her excited about house stuff, but it makes me smile, she's definitely her mama's child all excited about kitchen utensils hahah

So there you go, just a peek at our get together, like I said above, I will have a different post up on Tuesday on her actual birthday.

Right, I'm going to go have a cup of coffee and check on my chicken that is roasting in the oven.  I have been cleaning all day long, first to get things back on track from the party, but I also did all the laundry, cleaned the washer and dryer and the laundry room itself, mopped and swept, cleaned the bathrooms and the turtle tank. 

Now, I'm finally going to sit and rest for a bit before I have to get dinner finished and the table set and dishes washed and all that fun stuff.

I hope you're all having a fantastic weekend.  Hope to see you back for Happy Homemaker Monday in the morning :)