Thursday, December 25, 2008

Christmas 2008

This is what it looks like now!!!!!!!!!!!!
Big girl on her new bike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jackson with hi Noni!!!!!!!!



Santa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


The Nativity my in-laws build every year!!!!!!




Christmas 2008

Christmas Angels!!!!!!!!!
My angels and a King!!!!!!








The house all lit up for Santa!

Words fail me right now! It was perfect and magical and emotional and everything Christmas should be! We started with mass and my girls were angels in the nativity and Jackson was one of the 3 kings, and I cried. I cried at the sight of those kids re creating the story of his birth, I cried when they sang " Oh Holy Night" and again when they sang "Silent Night" and again when we went up to receive communion, and again, and again all night! Then we came home to leave out the cookies and Milk for Santa, and the girls sprinkled reindeer food on the grass. Then we were off to Jack's parents house for a loud, food filled, kids running and screaming party complete w/ a visit from Santa! That was late, then we drove home and watched for Rudolph and laughed when the kids sprinted in the house to get in bed before Santa saw them!!!!! They slept in until 8:30!!!!!! I was up and excited and waiting like a little kid to see their faces. They tore open gifts and we ate a huge breakfast and sipped mimosas and put together a basketball hoop, and rode new bikes and all of that fun Christmas stuff. Then off to the Family again for beef wellington and pasta and home made wine and lots of laughs, and cousins and Aunts and Uncles and Grandparents!!!!!!! Now it is quiet and the house is a mess and kids are sleeping and I..... am so full of love and gratitude and peace! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good-night!!!!!


Sunday, December 21, 2008

Best Christmas gift ever!!!!!!













I wanted to post this yesterday on her birthday, but we had too much fun! Today is better anyway, I am able to slow down and reflect. I can not beleive it was 8 years ago, I can't beleive she is growing up so fast. I can't beleive that this sweet little Christmas delivery has become such a sweet little girl! She is everything a little girl should be. I remember holding her in those first few hours after she was born, and Jack saying "look at her fingers... they are little girl fingers" and they were, long and slender and dainty. We brought her home 8 years ago today! Jackson was so little it took him about a week to figure out she was gonna stay with us forever! I think he kept thinking, one of these visitors would take her home with them. We dressed her up in this Christmas dress and put these little black shoes on her like she was our doll. Well this year she is dressing up in her Limited Too clothes, complete with her Jonas Brothers hat and a sparkly scarf, and the shoes... well lets just say the girl may have a little problem! I love these pictures, I love the one where she is in a little stocking in her hospital bassinet, I love the one where Jackson is checking her out for the first time, I love that Dr. McLean grows his beard and dresses like Santa at Christmas! She loves that Santa brought her to us! (hehehe) I love the picture with my dad... had I known then it would be our last Christmas with him I would have probably taken a gazillion more pictures! I love my little Christmas angel, as that is what we call her and she gets this crinkly little grin because she knows how special she is!


Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Christmas Cheer





I love this time of year! I truly love the spirit of the season and all of the fun that goes with it! The house is starting to look like a Christmas village, I am sure the neighbors houses power surge every time we plug in our outdoor lights! (Jack seems to think he is Clark Griswold this time of year) A few of the presents are wrapped and look great under our tree, and one of my FAVORITE things of all... the Christmas card are beginning to flow in! I love getting pictures, and updates and beautiful cards from friends far away and friends right here in town! For most of you who read this you have already received my card, so I am not done yet! I love to take pictures so I will continually keep posting pictures of these gorgeous kids! Some fun things we have been doing so far, 3:30 a.m. shopping with Andrea the day after Thanksgiving, Nyseems fun ornament exchange party, Olivia's Christmas show at school decorating 5 trees throughout our house, our "elf" "buddy" and all of the fun he brings to our home, "Santa Claus" the book! If you don't have it... get it! I got mine at Sam's, it has a little diamond on the front and is THE BEST Christmas book yet! This weekend is full of fun w/ a birthday party,(for Olivia) a fancy dress up brunch at the yacht club ( for Abby) Jackson's hockey play off game, Fun music, cold beer and pizza Friday night at our Restaurant, and my office Christmas party on Saturday night! I watch them, and they truly understand the spirit of this season! They are not real caught up on the toys, they are more interested in all of the fun and magic of it all! I will keep you posted, and don't worry, lots of pictures! I just hope you don't pass out or have heart problems from looking at all of them!! I am biased... yes, but they are so dang cute!!!!!!!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Love, just Love!!!!







And then there are those days.... I had one today! You know the one that NEVER seems to end!! I worked! For those of you who don't know me, I work in a dental office two days a week! A great office w/ great people, but today was a busy one ( which is good) but it never was gonna end(which is not good) I came home... LATE to a home that was a mess, nothing to cook for dinner, 4 people needing me all at once, and a neighbor kid to boot! Then Jack's sister came by and then a friend called w/ a minor emergency(which I won't talk about because they already make fun of my blog) in a good way! I scrounged up dinner. Ra men noodle soup and hot dogs... uhhgggg! What have I become? then we finished home work, had a 10 minute family clean-up time( I swear they think I am the effing maid) a few tears along the way... then the magic words! Yep that's right "BED TIME" Ahhhhhhhh! Then I went to put on my jammies and finally take off my scrubs from work, and when I came out, this is what I saw.......

Yep my little sweet, perfect, loving children bonding! Jackson reading a book to his sisters! They were all under a blanket(except Abby, she wanted to go read her own book, but couldn't tear herself away) He read 3 books before they were done! Every once in a while I would hear him say " do you know this word Olivia?" "say this Olivia" and sound it out! Then all of the day went away! (I know I am on the cheesy side here Fro) but come on this is good stuff!!! Little reminders that they are here to fill my house w/ love and laughter and fighting and screaming and all of the stuff that goes with having kids! They can erase a bad day in one swift move, they fill my "love bucket" I am so glad they love each other, I am so glad they are them!!!! This is the stuff I can't get enough of!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008


He is back.....!!!!!! That's right our friendly little helper elf "Buddy" is back!!!!!!! He actually came last year and boy did we have fun with him, but to our surprise he came back this year!!!! His book tells the story of a helper elf who is sent here by Santa to watch us and report back to the "big guy" nightly!!!!! We are not allowed to touch him or he could loose his "magical" powers! We CAN talk to him and he can go whisper in Santa's ear, but he is NOT allowed to talk to us... per Santa!!!!!! The excitement in our house tonight is the kind that sends giggles all the way thru it!!!!! This is why I love this season... the wonder and the magic of it all... thru them is so great!!!! I wish I could go whisper to Buddy the elf... that they never grow up. That they always believe in Santa. That the pressure and reality of adulthood is soooooooo far off that they don't even feel the economic hard times we are against!!!!!!! On that note, I was gonna blog about being grateful so Here is my TOP 10!!!
1--- I am greatful for God and my faith!!!!
2--- " " " for healthy Kids
3---" " ' for my Man!!!!!!
4--- " " ' for Thanksgivimg w/ a BIG obnoxious Italian family that I adore!!!
5--- " " " a mother who taught me everything I know!!!!!
6--- " " " sisters in laws... cuz I never had a sister!!!!!!
7----" friends who live back to back and feel like family!!!!!!
8----" " " all my girlfriends... who love me for being CRAZY ME!!!!!!!
9--- " " " the wonder of Christmas thru my Kids eyes!!!!
10---" " " Hope.......
oh and as I write this I have a little one w/ strep throat, high fever and all that goes w/ that! I am still grateful.... Yep Life is good... The season is among us and I can feel the spirit of Christmas all around us!!!!!!!!!! Oh and Jack's brother Chet just stopped by and the girls are telling him all about the elf!! I am soooo grateful for Aunts and Uncles who Love my kids as much as me!!!!!! They ROCK!!!!!!

Sunday, November 23, 2008

I have been waiting a long time to say this!!!!!!! My best friend is having a baby!!!!! This girl is my soul sista, I mean it! God put us together at 16 for some reason... and it just stuck! We have watched each other thru boyfriends, parent drama, weddings births of babies(mine) loss of parents, loss of friends and thru it all we have only gotten better! Probably because we both hit the lottery with husbands! They actually not only put up with us, they put up with us together... which is a completely different story! So I can not even put into words how excited I am that she is about to step into this crazy journey of motherhood! She will make not only the most beautiful mother, but honestly I can just see it! Her there in a rocker, feeding her baby, Hyden seeing if he can get them anything! Her burping, changing diapers, folding little baby clothes that smell like "dreft" detergent! I know this is just rambling to some, but I could just explode I am so excited for them! She is a natural nurturer, she is compassionate, fun and loving, but to call her a "mama" soon brings tears to my eyes and butterflies to my tummy! Oh boy... It's gonna be a long time till July!!!!!!!! Until then, I can just close my eyes and picture that sweet little bundle!!!!!

Friday, November 21, 2008

Showering Trina

How cute are these two preggo sisters!
Just a few close friends w/ their girls!

Lots of help from the little girls



Yummy Cupcakes!!!!!!


Today I am writing about the baby shower for our friend Trina! It is so much more than that! This girl is so great! She is the beautiful mother of four children, 1 girl and 3 boys!!!! This was the day to honor her! Natalie thought it would be neat to include all of our daughters this time! So glad we did that! The little girls all played and giggled and went swimming, while the moms enjoyed great food, and lots of laughs while we all caught up w/ each others busy lives!!! On that note, I have to say what an amazing group of women this group of girls is! Just the few of us that got together on this day have 27 children between all of us! To say that we really need to schedule time to catch up is an understatement!!!!! But friends ... let me tell you! These girls are golden! I know everyone loves their girlfriends...blah, blah, blah! But mine are amazing! I mean it, I almost burst sometimes when I think about the growing bellies and growing fa miles! To think most of us met, when not one of us had even had our first baby! Well here we are now, running between soccer, hockey,baseball, football,girl scouts, piano lessons, PTA meetings etc. we found a little window of time , on a Sunday afternoon to slow down and "shower" this amazing mother and wonderful friend! "Congrats Trina"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





Tuesday, November 11, 2008











Well We are home from our little mini- vacation... and it was good! We took a mini road trip to Augusta to visit my friend Amy and her husband Hyden! We had a ball seeing all of the fall leaves, and the cool crisp weather! We went to a farm, saw lots of different animals and wild life, took a tour of the Savanna rapids, went to a street festival, ate lots of awesome food, drank lots and lots of wine, and had a blast! Amy was the ever gracious host, and truly showed us a great time! We want to go back, but until then, we have these awesome pictures! Thanks Amy & Hyden!!!!!!




more Georgia!!!!!
















Fall trip
















Tuesday, October 21, 2008

The cheerleaders!!!!
Go Tigers!!!!!
I love this face!!!!!
The Golie!!!!!!
So our Saturdays are filled with cheer leading and soccer!!!!! It is crazy... the girls are at one park and the boys are at another, but somehow we seem to make it all happen! Partly thanks to lots of help from Uncle Chet and the boys!!!! I love it!!! I love seeing them get into their "thing" I love and hate being the goalies mom! One set of parents are yelling for him to "save" and the other set are secretly hoping he "lets one up" I want to yell at them all and say "that's my boy.. leave him alone" The girls are sassy and sweet! They yell out their cheers and shake their little "things" as hard as they can! They and all of the other girls giggle and compare ponytails, all at the same time they are actually trying really hard and improving by the week! We finally get home around noon if we are lucky and then it's lots of rest time! They chill out, we watch football, they run around the neighborhood w/ the other kids! There is something about this awesome weather in Florida on October, the "ping" of an aluminum bat and the sounds of of kids yelling and screaming that makes you smile! A really good Saturday would be the sound of the washer, dryer, and the dishwasher all going at once! Man... I love the weekend!!!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

14 years ago today!

I married him 14 years ago today! I feel weired even writing about it, bit it never fails, I keep remembering every moment! I remember waking up being soooo excited! I remember spending the morning w/ my bridesmaids getting our hair done and drinking mimosas! I remember getting ready at my parents house, and all of the picture taking and excitement swirling around! I remember the look on my daddy's face when I came out into the living room! I remember going to the church in the limo and all the cars honking and waving! I remember standing in the back... could not walk down that isle fast enough! Ohhhh the fun of that day! It felt like I was floating! I looked back at these pictures, and gasped! Not by how young we were, but by how far we have come! To see all of our family members that are no longer here, my dad, Grandma Mitrani, grandma and grandpa Lucarelli, Uncle Phil and the rest! Man life just keeps on going! Here we are 14 years later, 3 of the most AWESOME kids in the world, and ya know what? We actually still like each other! I still get excited when I haven't seen him in a while! He is the worlds greatest dad! He is my man! Happy Anniversary baby!!!