Mark's Birthday Gift Comes Early !!!!

Since we will be in Pasadena, CA for the National Championship on Mark's 29th Birthday... he got to open his birthday present early! 

Mark and FSU Quarterback, Jameis Winston, share the same birthday, January 6th, which is also the date of the 2014 National Championship Game. Crazy, right?! I think so. 

I thought this was a perfect gift being that it was symbolic of the fact that they both share a birthday, it will be on the day of the National Championship, and that both young men have achieved so much and so early on. I am so proud of Mark and all that he has accomplished. 

Jameis leads his team well and proved that to many when he recently won the Heisman Trophy. Mark also leads his teams well and has proved that when he was recently promoted to the new VP/GM for the Miami/WPB branches. 

Mark is now the youngest VP in the company and Jameis is the youngest Heisman winner ever. I always like to find those little fun facts :) 

 Happy birthday, my love. You deserve it and more. I have the most selfless and giving husband in the world. It makes me happy to see him so excited to be planing our Pasadena trip and opening up this gift from me and Ava. 

We love you, Mark (and Daddy)

XO

Christina & Ava 

BIG THANK YOU TO BRANDON OWENS FROM PRIME ONE SPORTS! WE ALWAYS LOVE WORKING WITH YOU. 

Be sure to "like" them on Facebook to find awesome gifts and collector's items. 

Bahamas with the McGuire Family

On Tueaday morning, Mark and I headed to the Bahamas with his dad, step mom and two half brothers. It was a quick trip but a very fun one to celebrate Sue's 50th birthday. 

(The night before, Sue and I were texting and my lovely iPhone autocorrect changed "birthday girl" to "baby girl" so the entire trip was filled with shouting baby girl at Sue- hilarious. People's expressions were too funny when they would hear her sons calling her baby girl. 

 Sue, I'm sorry that I started that little nickname, baby girl! Haha not really. 

Ryan and a local salesman on the beach 

Baby girl and the kiddos 

Mark always negotiating some deal... Even on a day off 

Mark would not stop eating conch salad that was made fresh from this little shack in Port Lucaya. I think he ate like 3 bowls.

 This is the photo of the little shack I found online: delicious 

Remember these places, bridesmaids?!? My week long bachelorette party was also here and I couldn't help but laugh when I saw the stage and this bar where we danced...a lot. I tried to find our signatures in here but I don't remember where we put them. Not surprising. I also saw the police station that helped us out when we got lost getting back to the resort (I think). 

And this was last night at Coconuts in Ft. Lauderdale. Baby girl and Ava :) hahaha. It never gets old. 

The McGuires head back to Oregon on Saturday :(

I already can't wait until our 4th wedding anniversary on Labor Day weekend 2014.  The plan is to head to The Gorge 

to watch Dave Matthews up there while Ava stays with them at the Crescent bar house in WA - 30 min away. 

Woohoo. 

Happy Birthday, baby girl. We always love McGuire family time. 

XO

Christina 

Ava Turns 1!

On Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013 we all celebrated 

Ava's 1st Birthday!

Ava's 1st Birthday fell on a big South Florida Rival weekend... FSU v UM. 

 So rather than try and work around this, we just went with it. Ava did not have your typical 

"princess party" ...it was FSU themed! 

Are you really surprised!? haha

Ava with her Nana Lorenz

Nana Lorenz bought and painted this adorable rocking chair for Ava. 

Tickling the Birthday Girl 

Mark and I wanted to celebrate Ava's birthday how we typically enjoy Game Days when we are home for them...Brunch! 

We had a honey baked ham in the oven, salmon platter, croissants, fruit, cupcakes, cheeses, prosciutto wrapped cheese, veggies, a baby food/snack station, pumpkin spice & apple cinnamon muffins, a shrimp wheel, and mimosas/other cocktails for the adults. 

FSU utensils! 

Mark's friend from work came over with his family. Mark had a little gift for him :) His friend has been so helpful and supportive through Mark's efforts of becoming the new VP. We thank him for all that he has done for Mark and our family.

Our good friends came over over to celebrate. We cut them some slack even though they aren't Seminoles. They are the sweetest. Mike is my mother's late best friend's son. When we found out that he was becoming a father and naming his daughter after his mother, we just about burst into tears. We love this little family so much. Rachel is Mike's beautiful wife and little Fern is their sweet daughter. Don't let this picture fool you either, Fern has is smiling just as much or more than Ava. Happiest baby ever! 

Ava playing with her friends. 

We had friends that even drove/ flew in from:

 Jacksonville, FL

Chicago, IL 

Taveres, FL 

to be with Ava on her special day. We have great friends and we are so thankful for them.

Melissa & Doug puzzles! 

Having fun with Daddy as usual 

She was even sent a real Gucci purse from a very generous and kind mother that we have never met in person. Ava is a lucky girl!

Slobber monster. Cutting more teeth! 

 My friends, Sarah (Ava's Godmother- left) and Ali(my Maid of Honor-right), traveled in to be with Ava. So happy that I had them there with us. 

Ava's birthday was great. We got to see and spend time with great friends, celebrate our baby turning 1, and enjoy our FSU v UM Game Day together. 

Later that evening I dropped Ava off at my in-law's home and we headed to Galuppi's with all of our friends in town. We all got a long table to watch the game together. We had a great time all catching up while watching FSU beat UM. 

I picked up Ava in the morning when I woke up and Mark headed out to play golf with his friends. 

A BIG thank you to those who attended Ava's birthday party and sent Birthday Wishes via: phone call, text, Facebook, Instagram, you name it... I enjoyed reading all of them and cannot believe she is 1 now. 

Happy Birthday, Ava Loren McGuire! 

XO

Happy Birthday Mom!

I want to wish my beautiful mother a very Happy 47th Birthday! 

My mother has been my everything growing up. Her and I have been through a lot together and always on the same side- a team. 

It's probably because she raised me mostly on her own throughout the years and had me at a ripe 20years old.  We have an unbreakable bond that only gets stronger with time. 

It's the kind of relationship where I would prefer to just stay in to hang out with her than getting all dressed up to go out. I remember there where some nights when I wouldn't want to go out in high school or during college breaks (I'm really sounding like a hobbit now) but I didn't want to upset my friends. She would just say to me, "Tell them I said no and blame it on me."

 Haha. 

I often hear women saying how they feel like they are turning into her mother as if it is a bad thing. I can honestly say that I feel proud of the fact that I see a lot of her in myself now. And I only hope it continues. 

The bond that I have with my mother is the reason I wanted and always envisioned myself as a mother to a girl. I wanted to share that friendship with a daughter like she does with me. 

I was thrilled to tell my mom the day that I found out we were having a girl. I ran into her work carrying pink flowers for her. Our 3rd generation Scorpio was on the way to complete our feisty, little coven. :)

Mom: Nov 1st 

Ava: Nov 2nd

Me: Nov 5th

Fun week ahead! 

...I'll wrap it up here because I really could write about my mom all day. 

Thank you mom for allowing me to always be me, to praise me throughout the years, to give me confidence to do whatever it is that I believe in, to stick up for me, to work endless hours so that I could attend the best schools around, and finally, for loving me unconditionally. 

I love you and will always take care of you.

"Christini"