Bambini Belli

2010-08-16T13:31:00.000-07:00

I've posted pics of Juliana's first b-day party on my crafting blog here: http://morenascorner.blogspot.com/2010/08/julianas-first-birthday-party.html

Since I will be sharing that blog entry with the person who made the kit I put it on my "public" blog, not my private one. :)

2010-05-11T12:54:00.000-07:00

Perspective

Three weeks ago I was lamenting how stressed out I was and how I wished I could fast forward time. Andy was preparing for boards, Dominic's teachers went on strike, and I felt overwhelmed trying to keep everyone happy and busy while getting ready for our big move. Then my dad passed away. Now I would give anything to turn back time. I realize how minimal those stresses were in comparison to what I'm facing now. If I could go back and change anything, it would be to bring Dad back. Instead of looking ahead and "killing" time, I've been reminded to savor every moment, because tomorrow is no guarantee. How my perspective has changed.

To be completely honest, the big reason I kept up this blog the last year or so has been for Dad. He would always call to comment on the pictures I posted, or to gently remind me to update the blog. With him gone, it almost hurts too much to post here. I'm sure things will get easier with time, but right now I'm very much at the angry/hurt/upset stage of grief.

If you've missed it, here is Dad's obituary. Johnny did a beautiful job writing it, and the pictures that accompany it bring me back to happier times.

2010-04-04T19:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!!

2010-03-27T10:59:00.000-07:00

What's new you ask? So much has happened in the last two weeks!

Juliana is CRAWLING now! She gets faster everyday and loves her newfound independence! She is pulling up on things, as well. Yikes!

Christian was student of the week! You can see a lot of his favorite things listed on the poster we made together. He also took his first stripe test in karate!

Dominic received his second report card this week. We are so proud of him for working so hard! In the pic above, some of you may recognize the beautiful hand made hat we purchased for him in Georgia...he still looks adorable in it!

2010-03-06T19:21:00.000-08:00

These are the Valentine's I made this year. Saw the heart doilies and had to try them. :)

2010-03-06T19:16:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while! I've actually managed to find some time to start crafting again, which is a nice outlet for me. I'm learning about and experimenting with collage and altered art. :) It's fun.

2010-01-10T13:36:00.001-08:00

It's hard to believe that Juliana is 6 months old already!!

December 2009 (42 photos), by Morena Hockley

2010-01-02T19:18:00.001-08:00

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
Click here to view photos

2009-12-13T18:59:00.000-08:00

We had a visit with Santa today....here is Juliana's first meeting with Santa. She was in a great mood and smiled like crazy. It was cute! I will scan and post the pic with all three kids later!

2009-12-02T06:41:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Thansgiving and hope you did, too! We are incredibly blessed!!

2009-11-16T18:19:00.000-08:00

Better late than never! :) Christian turned FIVE in October. How can my baby boy be five already? He had a wonderful time on his birthday, as you can see from these pics!

2009-11-01T13:29:00.000-08:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! from Popeye, Olive Oyl, Swee' Pea, Red Ranger, and Obi Wan Kenobi!!

2009-10-05T17:09:00.000-07:00

Apple picking at Solebury Orchards...23.5 pounds of apples to enjoy!!

2009-10-05T16:53:00.000-07:00

September was a busy month! Dominic started first grade, turned 7, and had a soccer b-day party. Christian started PK and soccer. Juliana started cooing and babbling, and she's a sweet smiley baby. Here are some pics from the month:

2009-09-08T12:36:00.000-07:00

Big day today! It was Dominic's first day of school...he's a first grader now!

Juliana had her 2 month appointment today. She weighs 11 pounds 12 ounces and is 22.5 inches long. That puts her in the 50-75th percentile, so she's growing well!

We got back from a wonderful long weekend in Ocean City MD. It went by too fast!

2009-08-17T11:24:00.000-07:00

Our family of 5, enjoying a beautiful Sunday at the park.

2009-08-11T09:47:00.001-07:00

Hard to believe that Juliana is one month old. She is a sweet baby and such a joy. We all adore her. :) Here are some recent pics...

2009-07-15T12:06:00.000-07:00

Juliana is one week old! We took her to Kiddie Kandids to have her first portraits taken, and they're even better than I'd hoped for! Enjoy!

2009-07-12T16:46:00.000-07:00

Juliana Isabella is here!!!

She was born on July 7th at 9:19 pm. She weighed 7 lbs, 6 ozs and was 20 inches long. She is a sweet, happy baby, and we couldn't be happier!!

She surprised us with her earlier than expected arrival (I was just shy of 38 weeks pregnant), but apparently she was ready to meet us. I was surprised on Monday to realize that my contraction were becoming pretty regular, and it continued on Tuesday. My OB told me to go the hospital for monitoring, and after about 5 hours of monitoring and an IV and a shot to try to stop the contractions, everyone realized that there was no stopping this little girl so we proceeded with the c-section. Everything went as well as could be expected, and we came home from the hospital yesterday afternoon.

I am recovering well and enjoying watching the boys interact with their sister. They both adore her, which is a joy to witness.

Thank you for all the messages and well wishes!

2009-07-05T11:44:00.000-07:00

37 weeks down, two more to go!

2009-06-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

Queen Bean's room is coming together! Her crib was put together about two weeks ago, and we had no idea that the boys would react the way they did. They started acting like babies, crawling on the floor, saying "goo goo", and asking for bottles. They then wanted to sleep in the finished crib. The went nuts over the mobile. It was sooooo funny! They had Andy and I cracking up all night.

2009-06-23T12:32:00.000-07:00

Yay! Pics from Susie & Marc's wedding are up. Check them out here:

http://www.bredvad.smugmug.com/

2009-06-20T18:20:00.000-07:00

Queen Bean will be here in 27 days!! C-section is scheduled for July 17th.

2009-06-12T13:08:00.000-07:00

We're back from a wonderful trip to Texas. I'll post more later, but the summary is that Susie and Marc's wedding was wonderful and a blast to attend, it was great to see everyone again, Andy & I celebrated a wonderful anniversary on the Riverwalk, and we forgot how hot Texas is in June. LOL! Here are a few pics...more later.

2009-05-31T20:24:00.000-07:00

On Monday, June 1st, Andy and I will celebrate our THIRTEENTH anniversary. I feel so incredibly lucky to have found such an amazing partner to spend my life with. Let the good times roll. :)

2009-05-31T20:22:00.000-07:00

Howdy from Texas! We are here for my sister Susan's wedding on June 6th! We are so excited & happy for her & Marc. :)

Here's my most recent picture. The belly is coming along nicely. Just 8 more weeks till we're holding our baby girl!

2009-05-22T09:37:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day 2009

My grandmother, an amazingly strong woman, celebrated her last mother's day on earth this year. Doris Hamilton passed away on Thurday, May 14. Granny, you will be remembered very fondly.

I had a really nice mother's day at a local state park. I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family.

2009-05-13T12:13:00.000-07:00

We went to one of those u/s places on Saturday so the boys could get a peek at their little sister. It was so much fun! We caught her playing with her feet a lot and even licking the umbilical cord. LOL! I can feel how active she is, and it was fun to see what she was actually up to in there. Here are three pics from our day:

Hand under chin:

Chunky leg:

Pushing on my ribs:

2009-04-15T13:50:00.000-07:00

Well, we survived Andy's absence and are all thrilled to have him back home. He was very much missed!!

Easter weekend flew by, and before I knew it Monday was here which meant Christian's surgery. Things went very well and he is recuperating very nicely. Thanks for all your well wishes!

I had my 26 week appointment today. It's hard to believe that Queen Bean will be here in less than 100 day! The pregnancy is going wonderfully well and everything is right on track and very normal, which is great! Still no name picked, room isn't painted, haven't bought any furniture or gear yet, but I'm sure we'll be scrambling at the last minute like we always do and things will fall into place. Ha! :)

Here are some pics from Easter Sunday...enjoy!

2009-04-07T19:17:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm still alive! :) It's been a hectic week and a half because Andy is away. He'll be back late Thursday night...wahoo!! I'll have him take some belly pics since I just hit 25 weeks today and haven't updated in a while. Queen Bean is doing well and still having little dance parties on a daily basis. She had a great time kicking Dominic repeatedly in the head the other day. I'm glad he thought it was so funny. I'm sure he won't be as quick to laugh when she's a few months old and trying to rip his hair out. LOL!

Until next time, I'll leave you with some pics of my superheroes. Enjoy!

2009-03-11T13:50:00.001-07:00

I've been looking for something to decoupage, and a friend's recent road trip gave me an excuse to create this "Bon Voyage" gift. It was fun to make!

2009-02-25T07:33:00.000-08:00

We're having a little girl!

Abbiamo fatto l'ecografia lunedi ed abbiamo scoperto che aspettiamo una BAMBINA!! Sta crescendo bene e non hanno notato nessun problema, quindi dovrebbe arrivare come anticipato, verso il 21 di luglio!

2009-02-19T10:08:00.000-08:00

Dominic is star of the week in his class today, and he is loving it! I made this poster for him to take to class, and here are his answers to the questionnaire his teacher gave him:

My whole name is Dominic Temuri H.

My birthday is September 20th. I am 6 years old.

These are the people in my family: Mamma, Daddy, Christian, and a baby due in July.

These are my pets: Kukanotti (my guinea pig) and 3 hermit crabs.

At home I like to play games with my family.

At school I like play time.

When Christian plays with me it makes me happy.

When no one plays with me it makes me sad.

My favorite toy is my race cars.

My favorite food is pasta.

My favorite place is Papa’s house.

Sometimes I’m scared when the lights are off.

When I grow up I want to be a soccer player.

I wish I was at Papa’s house all the time.

I’m really good at soccer.

2009-02-16T10:23:00.000-08:00

I had a regular appt today. When I scheduled it I had NO IDEA it would be a holiday, so I had both boys home today. It was only supposed to be a 10 min appt, so I didn't think it would be a big deal. I packed a back pack with toys and some snacks and headed out.

We ended up waiting for an hour. The doctor was at the hospital, I guess delivering a baby, and came in late. Thankfully, the kids did well waiting.

Then I had to pee in a cup. Try doing that with an audience of a 6 & 4 year boys. LOL! First, they thought it was HILARIOUS that I was peeing in a cup. Then they had to look at the urine and comment on it. Then they wanted to know what was going to happen to the cup of pee, and why anyone would want it. Sheesh! That was way more than I'd bargained for.

The visit with the doctor took all of 5 minutes. My growth is perfect, she said. Then she pulled out the doppler. The kids came over for a closer look. Immediately we heard a beautiful, strong heartbeat. The boys got the biggest smiles on their faces and started giggling. Then we'd hear a "swoosh" type sound and the doctor would tell the boys "That was the baby kicking!" which made them giggle more. Then, the funniest thing happened: they both started dancing to the baby's heartbeat. I was cracking up so hard! Which of course, only made them dance more. I wish I'd had my camera with me.

So, a mundane appointment turned into a fun little experience. The boys are still talking about hearing the baby. I might take them to my next appointment again, just for fun. :)

2009-02-12T08:47:00.000-08:00

One of Andy's co-workers welcomed his first child into the world recently, and I made this card to go with a gift for them. I'm really happy with the colors, and I saw the "peek-a-boo" window idea in one of my books and thought it would work nicely on a new baby card.

2009-02-12T08:34:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!!

These are cards I made for family. The templates come from my new favorite book, Handmade Hellos by the Moyle sisters. The octopus one says "Stuck on You" inside. :)

2009-02-12T08:26:00.000-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my wonderful, sweet, handsome husband!

Pictures courtesy of Dominic. :)

2009-02-08T17:07:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics of my new haircut and my 16 week belly. :) Yes, Christian isn't wearing a shirt, again. hahahaha! He says he's hot all the time!

2009-02-02T13:03:00.001-08:00

Volcano making!

This activity never gets old! I stapled a rectangle of foam into a cone shape and trimmed the bottom so it would sit on the plate. The boys used a quick setting plaster to make the volcano. Then they poured some baking powder into it, using a funnel, added some red food coloring drops, then finally poured vinegar into the mouth of the volcano. Voila...instant eruption!

The boys had such a blast and spend a LOT of time creating "eruptions". They decided to add dinosaurs to the scene and had fun creating their own little stories, too.

2009-02-02T12:59:00.000-08:00

15 weeks pregnant, almost 16. Woo hoo! My nauseau is mostly gone, but I'm still exhausted and feel awful after I eat. Hopefully now that I'm in the second trimester I'll get some of my energy back. This pic was taken at 14 weeks. :)

Oh, I got my haircut today and love it! I'll get Andy to take a picture so I can show off my new 'do.

2009-01-26T12:28:00.000-08:00

I've always loved arts & crafts but don't usually have the time to pursue it. I've started trying to make time for little projects, mainly card making, and wanted to share a fun book I stumbled across. I was perusing the arts & crafts area at B&N when I found a book by Aranzi Aronzo called Let's Make Cute Stuff. Oh, is it ever cute stuff, very Japanese style, and easy to make felt projects. Here are some projects that I've tackled so far:
1 & 2 are cards that I made borrowing some of the "mascots" in the book. I loved the little monkey and I thought it would be cute to see him hanging from a balloon (a la Curious George).

3 & 4 This was described in the book as a business card holder (and if you've lived in Japan, you know how big this is!) but I made mine to carry all those annoying store cards. I got tired of them sucking up space in my wallet so I keep them in this cute little holder that makes me smile everytime I pull it out.

5 This tissue holder was too fun of an idea not to make. My boys like to pull the "tongue" out while I make the appropriate sound effect.

There are several other projects in the book I'm hoping to try out as I find the time. If you get the chance to check out the Aranzi Aronzo series of books, please do. They're fun to look at.

2009-01-22T14:12:00.000-08:00

SNOW DAY! We finally had our first real snow and the boys had a blast!

PS. Ciao Amalia!!! Che bella sorpresa vederti qui sul mio blog! Un bacione a te!!

2009-01-13T12:48:00.000-08:00

I is for ice cream!

I was assigned to bring a snack to Dominic's class for "I" week. I had planned to just bring in cups of Italian Ice, until I bought a new cook book two weeks ago and saw this idea. These were super easy and so fun to make. They are Ice Cream Cone Cup Cakes and, as the name suggests, you fill the cone with batter, bake, then top with an obscene amount of icing. I'm sure most kids only ate the icing, but, hey, at least it's another "I" word, right?

2009-01-08T12:49:00.000-08:00

For those of you who DON'T read your Christmas cards (I say that laughingly!) or who aren't in my address book, I am PREGNANT! Woo hoo!

This scan was taken at 8 weeks. I had another appointment today at 12 weeks and heard a reassuringly strong heartbeat, so baby is still baking away in there. My due date is around mid July.

We are THRILLED with this news, of course!!! We were pretty anxious and held off on sharing the news at first, but things have been going so well that we're starting to believe this is really going to happen. :)

2009-01-04T19:10:00.001-08:00

I had sooo many cute pics of Christmas projects we did that I wanted to post, but time got away from me. I can't believe tomorrow's Monday and we're back to the grind! Oh well...2009 will be an exciting year and hopefully I'll do a better job updating this blog. No promises, though. :)

We were lucky to be able to head back to Texas for the holidays. The trip was too short but fun. We can't wait to go back in June!!

2008-12-21T09:33:00.000-08:00

2008-11-16T10:16:00.000-08:00

We had pictures taken last Sunday and I'm very happy with the way they came out. Now I have to buy more frames! :)

2008-11-09T18:11:00.000-08:00

Last Monday I spent 4 1/2 hours knocking on the doors of over 100 registered Democrats in my area, reminding them to vote for Barack Obama on Tuesday. It was soooo worth it! Thank you, America, for helping to elect Obama!

His campaign was so organized and well run. I was EXTREMELY impressed when I checked in to our local office to volunteer. The place was packed with volunteers of all ages, races, and genders. Everyone was smiling, enthusistic, and ready to work. The plan for the day was well thought out and explained to us. If Obama can bring the same spirit his campaign had to the rest of our country, then we are in for an incredible four years.

Do you want a free Obama sticker to celebrate our victory? It's designed by Shepard Fairey, the artist who created the iconic HOPE poster. And MoveOn's giving them away totally free--even the shipping's free.

I just got mine. Click this link to get your free Obama sticker:

http://pol.moveon.org/shepstickers/?id=-14361110-.QJHCCx

Enjoy!

2008-11-01T09:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween from our family to yours!

2008-10-29T14:43:00.000-07:00

It snowed here yesterday. In October. I am not making this up! We were all shocked by it as no one expected it. Christian asked if Santa was coming, and wanted to know why we hadn't put our tree up. I told him that it wasn't even Halloween yet, and the snow just came way too early! I hope this isn't an indication of what we're to expect this winter!

2008-10-23T08:06:00.000-07:00

Apples anyone?

We had such a great time picking apples last week. Dominic loved climbing up the trees to get the apples on top, and Christian had fun duckin under low hanging branches to pick the perfect apple. We came home with over 20 pounds of apples! They are so good, especially when you eat them right after they've been picked. Yummy!

One thing we did with all the apples was to make apple turnovers. I diced the apples and then the kids added sugar and cinnamon. Next, we opened a can of crescent rolls, rolled them to make a square, and put some of the filling in the middle. Then the kids folded the dough over and pinched the edges closed. They baked for about 10-12 minutes, and then we got to enjoy them. I think we'll have to make some more tonight! :)

2008-10-11T14:20:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday we hosted the boys' birthday party. Dominic turned 6 on September 20th, and Christian will be 4 on October 21st. We had a small shindig in our backyard. It was exhausting but fun.

I started out by having the kids decorate their goody bags using foam Halloween stickers. Then we moved on to making slime, using glue, food coloring, and liquid starch. This activity was a big hit, and even as the kids yelled "gross!" they were having fun poking at the slimy concoction. After that we had an eyeball relay (after which the kids got to eat their (chocolate) eyeball) and a mummy race. Finally, the kids got to do what they'd been eagerly awaiting: cracking open the pinata!! We had made a pinata (I'll share that later) but went with a larger store bought version that was a cool green dragon.

It was a lot of fun. Wish you could have been here!

2008-10-04T08:21:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I had the priviledge of hearing Barack Obama speak in Abington, PA, which is not far from where we live. My friend, Kristy, and I decided that it was too awesome an opportunity to pass up so we braved the long lines with our two preschoolers. Dominic was in school, so he missed out this time, but I hope to include him next time.

Obama is a phenomenal speaker. I have been stressed out about the state of our economy and the direction America has been headed in, and I left the speech feeling inspired and hopeful about the future of our nation. My favorite part was near the end of the speech, when he talked about being our brother's and sister's keeper and how we would get through this crisis together as Americans. You can hear that part of the speech here at my youtube account.

Here are some pics from the day. Enjoy! And please tell everyone you know to register to vote and to remember to vote! Even if you're voting for that other guy, it's important that all Americans go out and make their voices heard this Election Day!

2008-10-02T08:03:00.000-07:00

I've updated our playroom. I've been wanting to go with a vintage theme for a while and have been slowly working on different projects. Partly because of (lack of a) budget and partly to help with recycling, I tried to make everything from second hand items, and it's been fun to scour thrift stores for things that will fit in or that I can repaint to make them work in the room. The shadow boxes were fun to make, and I love those pics of the boys, taken last year. I've set the room up like a classroom, with an art center, building center, etc., which works nicely since I'm teaching at home now. Here it is:

2008-10-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

Today was my due date. I found this poem online and could really relate to it:

A Part Of Me

As I sit and remember
When you were still a part of me
I try to forget...
Your life was never meant to be.
You were given a life, a soul, a name
But now things will never be the same.
You were mine to give life to
Though only for a while
Things had changed...
I will never see your smile.
Yet my love for you
Will never disappear
Though your voice, your laugh,
I will never get to hear.
You will always be my baby
Though I've never seen your face.
Not a thing in this world
Can ever take your place.

(c) Felicia Glik All Rights Reserved

2008-09-28T19:38:00.000-07:00

This is the best $1 I ever spent! I had read about Toobers and Zots in a parenting magazine once but never seen them in stores. When I was at a local resale shop last week I found a bag full of them, and it was only a buck! The boys and I had so much fun building a dog, a robot, a dinosaur, making crowns and masks. They are such a cool creation and such a fun way to use your imagination and problem solve!

2008-09-24T19:36:00.000-07:00

Dominic is six now! AND he lost his second tooth! No doubt about it, he's growing up!

He still loves kindergarten and is looking forward to Christian & his birthday party in two weeks (see invites above).

Happy birthday to my sweet boy!

2008-09-18T19:18:00.000-07:00

Christian started school last week as well. I am doing a preschool cooperative with a wonderful friend I've made here, so he gets his academic stuff at home but his extracurriculars elsewhere. He has started soccer at an indoor soccer complex and having a blast. He really likes having a uniform! He also attends a class at a local comunity conservatory where he gets a taste of music, art, and drama. He is so proud to be a "big boy" and going to school like Dominic!

2008-09-16T19:42:00.000-07:00

Analysis: McCain's claims skirt facts, test voters

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080911/...hing_the_truth

I really want to get this info out there, especially for the undecided voters out there. McCains campaign has been flat out lying, and people are getting duped. It's one of those sad facts that if people keep hearing a mistruth again & again they begin to think it's fact.

The biggest one is this:

Quote:
Surveys already show that most people believe Obama would raise their taxes — a regular McCain claim — even though independent groups such as the Tax Policy Center concluded that four out of five U.S. households would receive tax cuts under his proposals.

HELLO!!!

Here's another:

Quote:
McCain and his running mate Palin, the Alaska governor, were defiant this week in the face of fact-checking news reports. Day after day she said she had told Congress "no thanks" to the so-called Bridge to Nowhere, a rural Alaska project that was abandoned when critics challenged its costs and usefulness. For nearly a week, major news outlets had documented that Palin supported the bridge when running for governor in 2006, and she turned against it only after it became an embarrassment to the state and a symbol in Congress of out-of-control earmarking.

PLEASE consider this info when making your decision on who will receive your vote!! We already have a president in office who knowingly LIED to us about "weapons of mass destruction" to dupe us into a war with Iraq. Do we need another administration that is already boldly lying right to our faces, even before they are elected to office??

2008-09-07T13:48:00.000-07:00

Where did summer fly to????

I guess we stayed so busy that the days just zoomed by. I need to go back and post about Sesame Place, Duthc Wonderland, our heavenly labor day weekend in Ocean City...but first things first: Dominic is a kindergartner!

He started school on Wednesday and loves it. His favorite part of school is recess. Go figure!

2008-08-22T13:06:00.000-07:00

I decided to plant a garden in place of our flowerbed this year, and it's turned out to be a fun project. The boys and I picked out plants & seeds in the spring to plant. We went with zucchini, tomato, basil and strawberry plants, and later planted some pumpkin seeds. You can see the before & after pictures here. Actually, the "after" picture is 3 weeks old...the pumpkin plant is MUCH bigger now and has three pumpkins thus far. The boys really enjoy taking care of their garden and LOVE picking the goodies and, in the case of the strawberries, eating them ASAP. I'm glad they're enjoying gardening so much!

2008-08-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

I created this image to show my hopes that peace can be restored in the Republic of Georgia. If anyone is interested, the image is on products being sold here: http://www.cafepress.com/forthischild 100% of the profits benefit humanitarian projects in the orphanages in Georgia and Armenia. Please spread the word!

2008-08-12T18:23:00.000-07:00

Our big boy.

Last Monday Dominic lost his first tooth. He was thrilled!

The week before that we attended his preschool graduation ceremony. He was surprised and delighted at the festivities and to receive a diploma.

Yesterday, what I thought was a minor injury turned into emergency surgery for my sweet little boy. Thankfully, he is doing wonderfully today and, in typical Dominic fashion, acting as if nothing ever happened. He had the nerve to ask my if he could climb a tree tonight! I reminded him of his stitches and the fact that he has to take it easy for two weeks. That will be nearly impossible!

What a week! With the graduation and the lost tooth, I worried that my baby was growing up too fast. Yesterday I was reminded that he is still my baby, and probably always will be.

2008-07-31T11:50:00.001-07:00

Geez...I am soooo behind! We've been staying busy this summer having fun at lots of new places. I'll start with two weeks ago and try to work my way forward.

We spent the day at Belmar beach in New Jersey. It was weird to have to PAY to go to the beach (they all seem to do that here) but the beach was nice, clean, and PACKED. It was a gorgeous day, in the mid 80s, but the water was a chilly 69 degrees. The boys have been asking to go to the beach all summer so they could build a sand castle like Curious George. They had a nice one built, but high tide rolled in just before we left and took the whole thing out. They laughed about it, because it's exactly what happened to Curious George's castle.

We can't wait to go back again. This time I'll be sure to be more accurate in applying sun block to MYSELF, though. I missed a patch on my back and got the mother of all sunburns...ouch! The good thing is now the boys don't argue with me about sunblock anymore, after seeing my nasty burn!

Here are some pics from our day:

2008-07-14T13:40:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July!

We had such a good time on the 4th!

We went into town (North Wales) to catch a parade. It was a tiny one but just enough to keep the kids entertained with fire trucks, police cars, candy catching, kids on bikes, motorcycles, etc. We then followed the parade to the park where they had an old fashioned get together. No blow ups or high tech games. There was a bean bag toss, sack race, three legged race, greased pole climbing contest, pie eating contest, water balloon toss...the boys participated in nearly everything! They received tickets at each event that they could trade in for prizes like little flags, gliders, etc. It was so much fun! I didn't even realize that there WAS a party after the parade, so I didn't have my camera on me. Next year!

That evening we went to a nearby town for fireworks. It was raining so that delayed things a bit, but in the end it was a great display. Happy Birthday, America!!

2008-07-01T11:43:00.000-07:00

A sad, sad day.

I feel like I sold my soul to the yankees. LOL. Today I (well, Andy) put PA plates on the car and I got my PA driver's license. I really enjoyed being the only Texan on the road. Sigh.

2008-06-23T13:27:00.001-07:00

As a 1930s wife, I am
Superior

Take the test!

2008-06-18T14:00:00.000-07:00

I am soooo behind...my apologies!

Here are some pics from our Memorial Day weekend trip to Washington, DC. We really had a good time. I found the most fun hotel to stay at, the Hotel Helix, which is decorated with this crazy retro pop art theme and has Austin Powers answering the phone line. There is so much to see in DC...we can't wait to return! When Obama wins the election I hope to be in DC again to witness his historic swearing in ceremony! :)

2008-05-01T11:09:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from our trip. I will add more ASAP! I took over 400 pics, plus my brother took some, so it's hard picking my favorites! The mud pits at Vulcano Solfatara. This volcana is at the base of the hill where my grandmother's home is, and I feel like I grew up with this volcano! The boys loved it (but it was stinky)!
The main vent of the Solfatara smoking.
Running through the steam.
At a small park with my cousin and her daughter, Martina.
Dominic and Martina with a swordfish head, at the Pozzuoli fish market.

Casale Nunziatina, where we spent 5 nights in Sorrento. This was such a beautiful place!!
One of the public paths in Herculaneum, a city destroyed with Pompeii in the Vesuvius eruption in 79 AD. So much of the city was so well preserved!
The Amalfi coast. We stopped here to picnic before walking down to the beach at Positano.
On the isle of Capri, with the Faraglioni in the background.
With my cousin Angela & her three kids.

more pics to come!

2008-04-22T12:13:00.001-07:00

Saluti da Pozzuoli, Italia!!

We have been in Italy for two weeks now and have one week left. We're cramming a lot of visits to family and shopping into this last week. :)

It's just the boys and I...Andy couldn't join us this trip. Dominic is a natural Neapolitan and is having a blast hanging out with my cousin's kids and playing soccer with the neighborhood children. The language barrier doesn't seem to bother him and he's picking up a fair amount of Italian. Christian is still pretty clingy and nervous with all the new things and people he's encountering but is still having fun. He looks forward to getting gelato in the afternoon!

I wish I could upload pics but I'll do that as soon as I get home. We got to spend a week with my brother who flew down from Germany and we spent several days in Sorrento. The boys really enjoyed visiting the city of Herculaneum and hunting for skeletons. hee hee. They point out Vesuvius everytime it's in sight. They LOVED the beach at Positano and got soaked in their clothes. I had to buy a towel and dry clothes there. They enjoyed the trip to Capri and riding the funiculare and the bus over to the Marina Piccolo where we watched the huge waves (there was bad weather that day). Since returning to Pozzuoli we've mostly been visiting my relatives and getting caught up with them. I took them to the Solfatara, a volcano at the base of where my grandmother's home is, and they LOVED it. Not so much the volcano (Christian and I both got a little scorched when we got to close to one of the vents...ouch!) but climbing the smelly hills of sulfur, running through the steam clouds, and throwing rocks in the mud pits. Quite a unique experience! I can't wait to upload the pics!

Tomorrow we're going to a market because I got carried away today and bought some larger items and now have to buy another suitcase (I only brought one medium and one small one). I also want to take the boys to the fish market in Pozzuoli as I know they will LOVE that since most of the fish and other critters (especially octopus) are still alive and swimming in tubs! I also still have two uncles I haven't seen yet and another cousin I want to visit so we'll squeeze those visits in to the few days we have left.

I'll be home on the 29th and will share pics when I'm not sleep deprived anymore! LOL!

2008-04-03T12:43:00.001-07:00

It's amazing how prayers get answered in unexpected ways. I'm still running into little problems that make me want to stick my thumbs in my eyes BUT I am feeling so much more positive thanks to the little messages, packages, e-mails, and phone calls I've received. It reminds me of how lucky I am to have such a wonderful support system in tough times. THANK YOU!

On to happier things. Here are some pics from our fun trip to the Dixie Dude Ranch this Spring Break. yeeehaw!!!!

2008-03-24T17:22:00.000-07:00

Ugh. Do you ever feel like you're being kicked when you're already down? The last two weeks have just sucked, which isn't even a strong enough word to describe it. The only highlight has been a nice but too short visit back home, but all kinds of other crap has been going on, and I just got home to find more messes I have to try to clean up. As if I didn't already have enough to worry about. I know things will get better, but I can't believe how it all seems to happen at once. It makes it hard to focus on the good things that are going on. I'm just venting. If you believe in prayer, I could certainly use some now. I don't know what I did wrong but there is some rotten karma here right now.

2008-03-05T14:19:00.000-08:00

I am so very blessed!

2008-02-26T09:59:00.000-08:00

Overcoming bullying with friendship

Dominic is an exceptional little athlete, and because he is so good at soccer his coach suggested moving him up to the 6-8 year old league (he's been playing with 4-5 year olds). Last night was his first night with the "big kids".
Dominic did great with all the drills and seemed nervous but OK until the last drill. They dribble the ball till coach says "freeze", then they have to stop the ball, leave it, and run to another ball. Dominic ran to a ball and was waiting for the coach to say "go". An older boy (he must have been 8 but was VERY tall) came up to Dominic and put his foot on the ball and got in Dominic's face. Dominic kept his foot on the ball and it looked like he said "This is my ball." The kid got real close to Dominic (in an obviously intimidating way) and took the ball out from under him. Dominic stood there, looking upset. He usually doesn't back down so I half expected him to slug the kid. Instead he walked away and I pointed him to a new ball. I was LIVID and wanted to walk out on the field and say something to the kid, but didn't know if it would make things worse. I decided I'd just tell the coach about it.
Coach called a water break so I figured I'd tell him then. But Dominic came over to me with tears in his eyes so we went to talk. He was SO upset and said he hated it here and didn't want to play with the big kids. I felt so awful for him. After the water break he REFUSED to go back in, and sat out the rest of practice. I finally managed to get him off my lap long enough to go tell the coaches why Dominic was sitting out.
They handled it wonderfully. They talked to Dominic and told him that he could come to them with any problem and they would help him. After practice I saw them talking to the boy in question, which I am happy about.
What really turned things around was a sweet little boy named Matthew. He kept coming over and asking if Dominic was OK and ready to come play. He was so sweet and persistent. At the end, when the kids huddled & said good-bye, Matthew came over to us and asked Dominic if he would like to walk with him to the huddle and stand next to him. Dominic tried to look very non-chalant and said "sure" and walked away with him.
Kindness and friendship are so powerful! Dominic finally stopped talking about "the mean boy" and the whole ride home talked about his new friend Matthew and how he would play with him next week and that he wasn't afraid of playing with the big kids anymore. When we got home he told his daddy all about his new friend Matthew, and didn't even mention the bully. Thank goodness for little blessings like Matthew! Fingers crossed that things go well next Monday!

2008-01-22T11:32:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning to blog about Jesus and the Power Rangers.

I put up a small nativity scene (presepio) for Christmas, consisting of Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus. The boys were drawn to the figures and were very interested in them.

One morning I came downstairs to find the baby Jesus on the floor, surrounded by a circle of Power Ranger figures. I overheard Dominic providing the voices of the Power Rangers, and they were saying "Jesus, I'm hurt, can you fix me?"

Apparently Jesus is a medical doctor, too. :)

2008-01-12T11:59:00.000-08:00

Last night was the YMCA's Holiday Party. I didn't even find out about it till last week when my boss asked if I was going. I went, not knowing it was also a staff recognition dinner. Each department director chose one member of their staff to receive a "Director's Choice" award, and I was chosen as the recipient for the Family Services Department of my branch!

I was SO shocked. I had no idea! I was given a VISA gift card for my award. I really missed working, and I was just happy to help out, so I'm really touched to have been recognized like this. Thanks for letting me share. :)

2007-12-29T13:53:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!!!

2007-12-14T12:26:00.000-08:00

Weekend in Lancaster

We had planned to head out to DC last weekend, but a nasty ice storm (which wound up being just a small snowstorm) changed those plans. Instead we headed about an hour away to Lancaster, PA, and had a great time!

We stayed in a hotel that was shaped like a steamship. It was super cute, and we had a room near the indoor pool, which Dominic was thrilled about!

While we were there we checked out the Christmas Museum. It was full of lots of wonderful displays with Santas from around the world, train tables, and nativity scenes. As we were leaving, one of the docents asked Dominic what his favorite part was. After thinking for a moment he replied, "I saw Jesus." Awwwww!

We also visited the Hands On Museum which, while a bit small, was nevertheless entertaining for the boys, who had been a bit frustrated with the previous museum where they couldn't touch anything! They loved being able to manipulate the various activities, build things, and dress up.

The following weekend we also visited Byer's Choice, which is practically in our backyard. We had no idea this wonderful exhibit was so close to us! We went to see La Befana, but were enthralled by the Victorian town and all the displays. Even the boys said they wanted to come back again soon!

So, despite the fact that it's FREAKING COLD here, we're managing to stay busy. :)

2007-12-08T12:24:00.001-08:00

Adoption Ornaments and Personalized Ornaments

I had fun making this one!! I hope it's a big seller!

Available here:

http://www.cafepress.com/forthischild/4248671

2007-12-05T13:24:00.000-08:00

Snow already?

Thank goodness I've been working away at purchasing sweaters, snowsuits, and snow boots, because the white stuff is here!!

We woke up on December 1st to find everything covered in a white blanket of snow. It wasn't much, but enough for snow angels and snow ball fun.

Then today it started snowing again. There have been flurries for the past few days, but nothing sticks. Well, today it's sticking! The boys are beyond thrilled. They've been asking about snow ever since we moved here, and now their wish has been granted. All I have to do now is buy a sled!

2007-11-29T18:13:00.001-08:00

Christmas is around the corner!!!!!

2007-11-17T12:29:00.001-08:00

I have been working away at this adoption fundraiser project for awhile, and the site is finally up. I will be tweaking it and possiblyadding more products, but please bookmark the site and post it onevery single board you can think of! E-mail it to all your friends,too!

http://www.cafepress.com/forthischild

To give you some background, the project began forming when I fell for a little boy in Armenia named Davit, who is waiting to beadopted. Not being able to adopt him at this time, I wanted to dosomething, anything, to help him find his forever family. Thus theonline shop. 100% of profits will go to Hopscotch Adoptions to formgrants to assist in the adoption of Davit and other special needschildren. I absolutely trust Hopscotch because the executivedirector, Robin Sizemore, was an integral part of our own adoption.

To learn more about Hopscotch, Davit, or other special needs orphanswaiting for their forever families, visit

http://www.hopscotchadoptions.org/ and

http://www.reecesrainbow.com/otherangels.htm

Thank you for your support and helping to spread the word!!!!

2007-11-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!

Dominic was Spiderman, Christian was a knight, and Andy & I didn't feel like dressing up this year so we went as ourselves. :) We all had a great time!!

2007-10-21T12:35:00.000-07:00

Christian is THREE today!

I can't believe how quickly he's growing up!

I woke up this morning to a little boy with his arms full of gifts saying "look what I got!!" He had woken up early and, rather than waking me up, went downstairs and opened all the gifts I had waiting for him. LOL! He was so excited and was telling me about all his presents.

We asked him what he wanted to do for his birthday, and he wants to eat hot dogs, have a white cake, and cook marshmallows. Works for me! So we're preparing for a cook out tonight. Thankfully, the weather has been gorgeous!

I will post pics as soon as I upload them tonight!

2007-10-14T17:50:00.001-07:00

The training wheels are off!

Dominic has been begging us to take his training wheels off for some time now, and we finally got around to it. It didn't take him long to get the hang of it, and now he can make the circle in front of our home all by himself. Way to go, Dominic!

2007-10-10T19:50:00.000-07:00

I went to a mosque for the first time one Monday. It was a VERY interesting cultural experience, and pleasant, too.

I have been teaching my class about Ramadan, which has been fascinating to me, to see how similar some Islamic beliefs are with Christianity. Monday was "Interfaith Fast for Peace" Day and the local mosque invited the community to fast and then come by at 6:30 to pray and break the fast with a communal meal. One of my student's parents invited me, so I gladly went.

As I approached the building I could see all the men in neat rows standing in prayer. I approached the door and a young man directed me to a different set of doors at the rear of the building. Duh! Forgot how men & women are separated in mosques, so I went to the back. Removed my shoes at the entrance and entered a scene of chaos compared to the men's room. Women were trying to pray as children chased each other around the room, laughing and playing. It was hilarious. The kids were having such a great time. I took Christian with me and he kept telling me "This church is fun!" LOL! Compared the our Catholic mass, I could see how he thought this was more fun!

I couldn't hear the prayers (poor speaker system combined with the children's chaos), which I was disappointed about . At the end of the service a man (the leader, I guess) spoke some very nice words about peace, and the meaning of Ramadan and fasting. He then invited anyone who wanted to speak to say a few words. As the room was divided by a partition, we couldn't see any of the men but could hear them. They then asked if any women wanted to speak, and two did (both non-Muslim guests) and the microphone was passed through a curtain to us. It still seems so odd to me how divided we were...even in as simple a task as passing a mic, no faces were seen...just a hand through a curtain. We didn't even eat together...the men ate in their room and the women & children in ours.

The food was INCREDIBLE! I don't know exactly what I ate but I loved it. I'll have to find out what it was so I can try it again.

So, I just wanted to share that experience. I'm pretty ignorant about Islam, so it's been very enlightening to learn more about the Muslim faith and culture, and see the similarities that exist (ie. the women with covered heads reminded me of Catholic nuns; Ramadan serves to remind Muslims to be peaceful, helpful, patient, and thankful, much like we are taught as Christians). I think if we (both Christians & Muslims) could see the similarities in our beliefs we might find some common ground to begin building peace with.

2007-10-07T18:26:00.000-07:00

I survived the boys' birthday party, and everyone had a great time, I think. :) Since their birthdays are only 1 month apart and they have all the same friends, we had one party to celebrate Dominic's 5th and Christian's 3rd birthdays. We had a simple backyard cookout with a few of our new friends. We made it a costume party so the kids could dress up. I had a blast decorating the boys' cakes and cupcakes for the guests. I'm glad they were a big hit. It really was fun to do!

The pinata was a lot of fun, too.

The boys were so tickled when everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to them, and of course they loved all their gifts and had to play with ALL of them at once.

Here's to a fun birthday party, and hopefully many, many more to come!

2007-09-20T19:32:00.000-07:00

Dominic is FIVE today!

Hard to believe that my baby is getting so big. I think he had a wonderful birthday. He received some wonderful gifts, like the remote control cars he has wanted for so long, birthday cards that play music and sounds, and a guinea pig, or "Skinny Pig" as Dominic calls it. He just adores his little pet and likes to snuggle him, sing him songs, and feed him spinach.

We made cupcakes last night for Dominic to take to school. He wanted a dog themed party, so I bought little plastic dogs to top each cupcake with. I heard they were a hit. We ended the day with a trip to Chuck E Cheese. It was a fun birthday...I'm glad Dominic enjoyed his special day.

2007-09-18T19:51:00.001-07:00

Thursday, September 19th is
Talk Like A Pirate Day!

Have fun! Click here for tips on how to talk like a pirate!

2007-09-13T06:09:00.000-07:00

Hershey & Chocolate World

I will add more pics & details ASAP! :)

2007-09-10T17:54:00.000-07:00

Forgive me for getting all political on my mommy blog, but this story upset me so much that I had to vent somewhere, and you're my audience. It disgusts me to no end that people in our country still think it's OK to mistreat, violate, humiliate, and otherwise dehumanize a person because of their skin color. It is beyond my comprehension how ANYONE could treat another human being this way. I am absolutely disgusted. You can read the awful story here.

THIS is why I feel so strongly about the Peace School program I am teaching and helping to develop at my YMCA. If we can teach our children about love, peace, and respect, then we are laying the foundation for a better tomorrow. If you'd like to learn more about the Living Values project (and maybe encourage your local school to implement the program!) please click here.

Peace. Shalom. Pace. Paz. To you and yours.

2007-08-27T19:45:00.000-07:00

WILDWOOD, NJ

Is there anything more fun than a day at the beach? This is my idea of heaven. I have been itching to get to the beach since we moved here and we finally made it. I haven't been to the beach since Okinawa (OK, we went to Galveston for Mardi Gras and visited the beach but I was wearing a winter coat so that doesn't count) and have really missed the sound of the waves, the gulls cries, and the sand squishing under my feet.

The boys headed straight for the water and were fearless. They loved being pushed by the waves and splashing in the surf. It's times like this that I really miss living on an island. If we were in Okinawa now the boys would have been at the beach several times a week over the summer. They would have loved it. They are both such water babies and delight in swimming and playing in the sand. We can't wait to return to the shore!

While we were there we checked out the boardwalk. Wow! I've never seen anything like that before. The crowds, the lights, the music and noise...it was overwhelming but exciting at the same time. We plan to return soon when we have more time (we only went for the day, and spent most of it on the beach) and more cash in our pockets (the boys wanted to ride the ferris wheel and play several of the arcade games). I'm sure it will become one of those things that we will miss after we have moved from this area in three years.

Blogger now has a new feature where I can add video clips to my entries, so I'm trying it out. I'm posting a clip of when we first got to the beach. If it works I'll add another clip of the boys after they've splased around a bit. Enjoy! :)

2007-08-18T13:39:00.001-07:00

Wiggles & Cowboys...

We attended our third Wiggles concert last weekend. As always, we had a great time. Missed Greg, but Sam was great, too. We didn't get to meet any of the Wiggles this time, but Dominic held up the sign he decorated which got Sam to wave at him and prompted Anthony to say hi to him from the stage. That was exciting!

I'm also including some cowboy pics I took yesterday. My mother made these adorable little chaps which the boys had fun posing in.

2007-08-08T12:08:00.001-07:00

This & that....

I have been so excited to read replies to my posts. I was starting to think I was all alone here. LOL! Susie, LOVE your responses. You crack me up! And yes, you are a leader. I overthink things, too. Like the fact that someone deleted their own reply. What did they write and why did they have to delete it? Who was it? Now I will be wondering about that all day. Reply deleter, whoever you are, you've really messed with my head!! LOL!

I keep forgetting to share some news here. First, for those who don't know it yet, my sister & Marc are engaged. Woo hoo! I'm thrilled for them!!! I can't wait for the pirate wedding! What will I wear?

Second piece of exciting news: there is an article about my brother's car in the CURRENT issue of High Performance Pontiac. I'm going to B&N tonight to pick up a copy for myself. Be sure to check it out when you're in the book store!!

Third bit of news: I got a job! I'll be teaching a class called "Peace Program for Preschoolers" four afternoons a week at the local YMCA. They boys will be in my class, and I'm very excited about it. The program sounds wonderful. It's all about teaching young children about respect, responsibilty, and problem solving. We'll be learning about many international cultures and hopefully fostering a sense of open mindedness in the children. In our crazy world today we can use more PEACE and UNDERSTANDING, and I'm happy that I can possibly play a small part in that process.

Now to sad news....please keep a friend of mine, Karen, in your prayers. She lost her husband and best friend yesterday to a heart attack. They have a 4 year old son, and my heart breaks that he has lost his father. Please pray for her to have strength in the difficult days ahead. And hold your loved ones close, as life is fragile. Carpe diem.

2007-08-03T19:28:00.000-07:00

Here's what I have been "tagged" to do:1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they have been tagged, and to read your blog.

1. I really like big band music, like Louie Prima and Brian Setzer, and enjoy swing dancing when I get the chance. We used to dance every week in Houston, but now that we have kids we're limited to the rare night out. It's still fun.

2. I hate cheese. Really. Not sure why but the smell makes me sick. This is the worst thing that could ever happen to an Italian. Really.

3. I love to travel. I've been to Italy, France, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Mexico, Japan, China, Australia, Russia, and the Reublic of Georgia. My passport is so cool...it has stamps from all these places, plus two visas with typos (one from China and one from ROG that says I'm "Andrew") along with the corrected visas.

4. I believe that if you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem. Which is probably why I wind up leading almost every group I join. LOL.

5. I really like the color pink. It may be because I live with three males and I'm overcompensating for the lack of femininity in my house, but I really think it's just that I like the color. It's pretty.

6. I was born in Italy and am trilingual (English, Italian, and Spanish). I'd like to learn more languages if I get the chance.

7. I enjoy doing crafts, even though I'm not great at them. I just purchased a craft table for myself in the hopes that I'll finally have the time to sit down and tackle the many projects that have been piling up.

8. I believe in "carpe diem". I try to make the most of every opportunity that is presented to me and to enjoy every moment as if it might be my last. I also dream of helping to make the world a better place, in whatever small way I can.

I don't know 8 people who blog, so I'm only "tagging" Susan, Sarah & Emily! :)

2007-07-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

We're back online! After a move halfway across the US and a month without internet access we are back in cyberworld. :) The move went well, aside from Christian taking a nasty blow to the eye when he hit a coffee table. First night on the road, strange room, strange town...why not visit the local ER? It looked really bad, but, thankfully, nothing was broken. A month later he still has a black eye and a scar...that's how bad it was! He has such a wonderful spirit, though. When I had him look in the mirror, he LAUGHED at his reflection and said, "I only have one eye! I'm a pirate!" He thought it was cool! Here is a video clip that captures his attitude about the whole thing:
http://www.dropshots.com/day.php?userid=157841&cdate=20070721&ctime=140209

Otherwise, the move went smoothly and the boys are enjoying their new home. They've handled the changes very well and have made several new friends in the neighborhood.

Here are some recent pics. One is of our wonderful but brief visit with the Baileys, friends from Okinawa. Another is to show that we brought our boots with us from Texas (that is all Christian will wear!). Then there's a pic from a recent visit by my brother, Johnny (can you guess which city we've moved to?). Finally some fun shots from our visit to the zoo.

2007-05-25T12:34:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a lazy weekend on Lake Texoma this past weekend. We stayed at a cabin on a military recreation facility there and had fun boating, pelting each other with "bombs", blowing bubbles, and just hanging out. I'm not sure whether I want to post pictures because the water was pretty ugly. It's rained recently so the water is brown and the "beaches" are full of wood, so they aren't the prettiest pictures. Still, it was fun. The boys loved driving the pontoon boat we rented, and they didn't mind swimming in the lake...they loved it! I will share this clip made on our first day there, though. Make sure you catch Dominic's reaction when he sees his Daddy. Dominic loves to watch this clip over and over and crack up about it. I thought it might give you a laugh, too. Enjoy!!

http://www.dropshots.com/day.php?userid=157841&cdate=20070525&ctime=115824

2007-05-07T19:34:00.000-07:00

It's a bird, it's a plane, no, it's sleeping PIRATE COWBOY KID! Christian loves to dress himself, and he always has a hat, sunglasses, boots, or some other accessory on that he has personally selected. He always knows exactly what he wants to wear.

The pics on the swing capture his sweetness and awesome smile.

2007-05-07T19:28:00.000-07:00

Tonight was Dominic's soccer party, ending the spring season. He loves to play soccer, and he's a natural at the sport. It's flattering to receive comments from so many people telling us how good he is. I wish we could take credit, but it's nothing we've taught him! The best part about it, though, is that he really enjoys it and has made so many friends.

2007-04-16T20:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!