30 Favorite Photos for My Daughter’s 30th Birthday!

I love my children’s birthdays for lots of reasons. I get to celebrate the people they have become, and I get to brag about them in these birthday blogs.

My wonderful, accomplished, beautiful inside and out daughter Elissa turns 30 Thursday August 31. She is jetting off to a well deserved vacation with her new husband and two of her favorite people in the world, her brother Brett and his wife, her new sister, Andi.

Here are 30 of a variety of photos of my favorite girl, which I wanted to share because we almost lost a bunch of precious photos in this past flood event.

Elissa was a gorgeous vision as a bride.

 

Elissa’s big blues have been a gorgeous feature of hers since birth, as you will see from other photos taken when she was a tiny tot.

Here’s a photo with her handsome groom, Josh, and my handsome husband, Gary.

Here is her father and I walking her to the Chuppah, a moment we both dreamed of since she was a baby.

Here is Elissa with her favorites. (minus a few.)

Here’s Elissa at another major event in her life, her UT undergrad graduation. Hook Em!

Could not forget to include a photo in one of Elissa’s favorite locales: Margate/Ventnor with her two best friends, Jamie and Morgan.

Elissa is quite the stylish woman.

Elissa with some Dallas besties, Rachel and Jaycee.

This is one of my favorites because she is holding the hand of her Mom-Mom of Blessed Memory. Here she is one year old!

This made the front page of the Houston Chronicle when my blog was featured on regional food and I love to see her enjoying the “Shore” foods as much as I do. Here with her brother, Brett.

Elissa played piano as a little tyke.

Elissa was quite the actress growing up. Here she stars in “Good News.”

One of my favorite photos of her ever, showing her sparkle and personality, cued by photographer to do that of course. This was her Red Robin Dance Recital.

See what I meant by big baby blue eyes? Here she is at almost 2 years old.

Elissa is so proud of this huge pumpkin, almost bigger than her.

Don’t know why that loaded so tiny, but Elissa was a terrific cheerleader in MS and HS.

Another of my very favorite photos of her.

With her bestie from UT and a famous Bachelor Alum.

Elissa loved musical theater and performing while growing up.

With her cousin Liza and Aunt and Uncle at the Houston Zoo.

Her very first modeling shoot for Foley’s Dept stores.

With her pretend family on another modeling job.

My little Angel Face.

Another of my favorites – looking so grown up at her fifth grade graduation.

Such a happy baby girl!

You know that song, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun? That was my Elissa. Here at one of her fun birthday pool parties at our home.

The very best daughter with the very best dog of all time, Oodles (the Talking Poodle) may he RIP.

Elissa with her great grandmother Omi, who lived until age 104.

Could not leave out all the other important people in Elissa’s life, here together, blessing the challah at her wedding. From L-R, Chris, Doris, David, Michele, Josh, Mom, Dad, Pop-Pop, Elissa, and G-Pa.

Wishing Elissa the very best 30th birthday with loads of love, and the brightest, best future possible as she starts her new job and life in Houston. xxooo