Christmas Lights!!!!!

If you are from around here--I highly recommend going to see these lights. Now, I am one of those "classic" Christmas lights girl, simple. So--it is always interesting to see all the lights appear in everyone's yards and on their houses--you know the kind that bring Tim Taylor or Clark Griswold to mind. The other day when I was taking L&L to school the radio station I was listening to were talking about an article in a fairly local paper--this guy has 70,000 lights up and like a mile of extension cords. The lights are computer programmed and have music that goes along to them. So--in my mind--I am like OMG!!! 70,000 lights in one yard--WOW!!! I have to say I was impressed--if you are going to throw up Christmas all over your yard this is the way to do it. Here is the link to the story--which includes the address.

http://www.cantonrep.com/news/x1009171086/Enjoy-the-show-donate-a-toy

Celebrating Christmas break!!!!!!!

Friday was the last day of school before--let me see if I can remember the chant I heard--16 glorious days of freedom--needless to say they were quite excited!!!! L&L decided they wanted to have a Christmas Party. We went caroling at the retirement center across the street and then they did a gift exchange--we had a great time and it was a fun way to start those 16 glorious days!!!!

Bread!!

Last week end I decided to make bread--now with the kneading and the rising and the punching down and re rising--there are alot of steps where I could screw this up!!! So--I was well into bread making--the Garlic Bubble loaf and the Cheesy Italian were re rising--when Andy decides he would like to have a bread braid he remembers a friend of his mom making at Christmas time--so he is generous enough to find me a recipe. What a guy!!! Well--here are the results--we ended up with Rosemary Focaccia, Challah, Hawaiian Sweet Bread, Honey Wheat, French and the other two. Got love those carbs!!!

Choir Concert

Here is a picture of Logan from his Christmas concert--I have to tell you we have had a HUGE problem getting papers home with our 5th grader--so the morning of the concert we are are lecturing Logan on the importance of finding out what time he has to be at the school before the concert--there seems to be a breakdown in our informational highway--I am pretty sure I know what the weak link is!!LOL!!!

Logan is a Goofball!!

We were having family meeting--trying to align our schedules--we had gumdrops in a candy dish--I look up to make sure everyone is following along and this is what I see--now really--do we think Logan will have ANY idea what is going on next week?????

7th Grade Lady Riders--2008!!!

Here are the 7th grade Lady Riders--and our own #14--WOOHOO!!!

Thanksgiving in Philly=SOFIA!!!

Peek-a-boo!!! Here are some new pictures of Sofia. We went to Philly for Thanksgiving--we had a great time. Eleanora cooked her first ever Thanksgiving meal--and did a wonderful job. Sofia LOVED Logan--she liked the rest of us--but she LOVED Logan. I got to be part of her bedtime routine--which included stories--one of my favorite things!!! Mamma would read her stories in Italian and Zia Rena would read hers in English. It is fun to listen to Sofia's mixture of Italian and English--and if she thinks you don't understand--she will translate for you!!

School Pictures

Here are 2008-2009 School pictures--at least there is only one completely fake smile!! They aren't bad--but aren't going to be on any favorite list either!!!

Logan's B-day Celebration!!

Logan will turn 11 in a few weeks--we decided to have a tailgate party at a College of Wooster football game for his bday this year--we were so incredibly lucky--it was beautiful--I mean it isn't often that you can have a 60+ degree day in Ohio at the beginning of November. We didn't need coats at all. Logan wanted Nerf stuff and his buddies came through for him in a BIG way!! We can't hardly believe how truly blessed we are--thinking back to the Neo-natal unit--we had been prepared by the Doctor's for all that could be wrong with him--but for all we worried about--he was this tiny perfect little baby boy. He was just so small and wouldn't gain any weight. We spent alot of time waiting for those magical 15 minutes every 3 hours when he would be allow out of his Isolette and we would be able to hold & feed him. I begged to have him home. And some days when we have that 5th grade attitude going--it's hard to remember that all our prayer's were answered and he is our own personal miracle. We love you Logan Matthew!!

Halloween

Halloween is always fun--our kids love to dress-up--and really getting candy--an added bonus!!!!! Lauryn was going to be a Greek Goddess--we had to do a costume for a school project--she had to dress up and give a report. It was a great costume--but not quite enough coverage in the Goddess outfit to get through evening trick-or-treat in Ohio!! Luckily we had one of Larry's old costumes and she was a scarecrow!!! Logan's costume was awesome!!! He was a headless and carrying his head in a jar. I have to tell you--he won a costume contest--he got a trophy for 1st place--so if you are keeping track--and trust me Logan is--that is 2 trophies in a week!!! Logan's friend Elvis--oops--I mean Chris went with them to get loot.

Giants win the FFootball Championship!!!!!!

Ok--So our flag football team won the championship. They played the Steeler's--it was a great game. We were up in the 4th quarter and the Steeler's were driving down the field to score--they were in striking distance--when the ball is intercepted in the end zone by---LOGAN!!!!!!! Here are picture's of the team--and of Logan getting his trophy from his coach.

Sofia turns 2!!!!!!!!!

Is this not the cutest niece any Zio & Zia could ask for??? Our little Sofia turned 2--WOW!!! Look how completely adorable she is--not that I am AT ALL bias!!!!! We are counting down the days until we head for Philly to see her--we will of course be happy to see Chris & Eleanora too--but really--just look at her--I can tell she misses her Zia--she needs me to spoil her rotten!!!!

End of the Season

Here are some pictures of our favorite #14!! The 7th grade Volleyball team finished their season in second place. The Lady Riders were 15 -4. It was tough to see them lose their final game of the tournament to West Holmes--although they were the only team to have beaten West Holmes at all during season. They had a great year and really played as a team. It was fun to see them develop their skills and we look forward to next year--but for now it is on to Basketball!!!

Football

Logan played on the Giants this season--his team is playing in the championship game on Thursday. They will be playing against the Steelers--who they beat on the day these pictures were taken!!! GO GIANTS!!!!

McKenna's B-day

For McKenna's b-day party--she decided on a "spa" theme. So--Darcee being the good Mama that she is turned her house into a luxurious retreat. Here are some pictures of the treatments the girls had after they checked into the "Cormany Center for Beauty & Wellness" Looks like they had a good time--how do the rest of us get invited???

Volleyball

Here is Lauryn's Volleyball picture--so far so good they have won all their games!!!

Maui Sands

To celebrate going back to school we went to Maui Sands--which is an indoor water park. L&L had a wonderful time!! They should have been water logged they spent so much time in the water!!! There were 4 different water slides--two of them go outside of the building. We were there, Darcee's family was there and Jennifer's family was there--all the kids would get the tubes and up the stairs(and stairs and stairs) they would go. They played tag in the lazy river--I don't think they understood the whole "lazy river" concept!!! The favorite was Maui Wowie. In that one you go down a the slide into a giant bowl, circle around then down into the bottom part of the slide and finally dumped into the lazy river. So--we promise the kids we would go on the slides with them!! Seriously--what was I thinking??? Up the stairs I go--not good for the knee--Logan being the great kid he is carried our tube up all the stairs. I ask the lifeguard which slide is shorter--apparently there is no good answer to this question. We go on the Maui wowie--Logan in front and me in the back. I am so NOT prepared for the first PLUNGING hill--did I say hill--I meant drop, steep drop. Then to convince me that the drop wasn't that big a deal we go flying into the bowl--now let me tell you, I watched Logan go on this, he goes around 1 time--well with my big butt in the tube with him we went around 3 times and if that wasn't bad enough--we ended up backward. Now--I am pretty certain that the bottom half isn't as steep as the top half--but you will never be able to prove this by me--since we went into the tunnel facing the wrong direction--it made the finish way more exciting than I really needed it to be. Personally--I prefer the lazy river.

The video's are of the indoor surf machine. Logan tried to use a surfboard--but he didn't last. Jennifer's husband George was the only grown up who was brave enough to try it and their son Josh was using a board before we left!!!

Over the Rainbow

L&L were in a community play. They played munchkins in "Over the Rainbow" an adaptation of the "Wizard of Oz". Lauryn was the Coroner. When you watch the video, Logan is in the middle of the top row on the right side of the stage. They had a terrific time. They even talked some of their friends into doing it with them. We were so proud of both of them--they did an EXCELLENT job--now i realize I am a little prejudice--you know that whole having given birth to them and everything--but really--they are AMAZING!!!

Lauryn's B-DAY!!!!!

So-it was Lauryn's b-day. She went swimming with some friends. This group is so nice--we were missing some of our usual suspects, but what a great time. They, of course turned silly--daring each other to dip their faces in ice cream--as you can see Lauryn was up to the challenge. I would like to know how she got this big--I swear she was just our little "Princess" and now she is a pre-teen--WOW--how did that happen?? I am in mourning over this and not sure we are completely ready for the new phase!

Sofia

Philly means--SOFIA!!!!!!! Here are some new pictures of the world's most adorable niece EVER!!!!!!! She won't be two until September--but she is already practicing her independence. Chris & Eleanora speak Italian to her at home--so she is our little bi-lingual baby. In the last picture you can see Sofia with her Zio. Her Zio Andy isn't ashamed--he bribed her over and over the whole time we were there--you will notice she is holding biscotti--which is what she calls any kind of cookie. She gets lots of treats from him--that must why she went around yelling "Zio"!!!! If she only knew--her Zia Rena is who brought all the treats for her to be bribed with!!!

Gettysburg

Well--we went to Gettysburg on our way to Philly. Now--I have to tell you and it may come as a complete shock to you--I am not a big outdoorsy kinda girl. I know--you can hardly believe it--anyway--so we go to Gettysburg--this is not on the top of my vacation hot spots--I mean come on--no ocean--no sand!!! It was like a million degrees outside and there is lots of walking around a huge field and woods. I have to say--the researcher in me had done all the prep work--and the website for Gettysburg needs updating!!!!!! You were supposed to be able to get a map from any Visitor's Center--oh yeah--they forgot to mention that they closed all the Visitor's Centers, when they opened the New Multi-Million dollar one--which of course doesn't yet have good signage--so you can actually locate it--oops!!! Once you find the NEW, thankfully air-conditioned, Visitor's Center it has lots of very good displays and memorabilia--but I suggest going in the fall or spring--not when it is 100 degrees!!!!