June 3-11, 2009 Digging For The Foundation and Basement...

It has finally begun... The Work on the new addition looks like this. There is a lull now that the hole is finished. The weather has not been good, and the workers have been busy with another project. Hopefully they will be able to continue soon... This needs to get done. When the new addition is complete, we will have added bedrooms and bathrooms, and some storage space. Nice!
























































































Found these rocks when bulldozing (we have plans for them)...





























My Father-in-law and Benny...





























Resting In The Shade?

















Carmine

June 9 and 10, 2009 Hay Bale Time...

First they planted. Then they waited for it to grow. When it was time, they got the tractor and the hacking extension and cut it all down. After letting it dry some, they got the tractor again, attached that green machine that makes the hay into bales. After the hay was all in bales, they got Anthony's red truck, loaded it up, and took the bales to sell to a local farmer who has a lot of cows. Hope those cows enjoy!!!




This tractor and machine take the hay and make them into bales...

June 8, 2009 Welcoming The Newest Addition To The family.

We recently went to Anthony's cousin's house to meet the newest addition to the family. Meet sweet, little M... :-)

And afterwards we stayed to have pizza with M's uncle and aunt and cousins next door. Yum!




Proud Papa Cousin...





The smallest member of the family at this point (In Italy and In USA)...





My sister-in-law and her daughter with our new baby cousin...





I love this feeling!!!! And I miss it...





My Mother-in-law is a great-aunt again...











All of the kids...

















The Two Anthony's (Yes, they are first cousins with the same name, more or less)...





Cousins on the swing (Antonio, S., V., Luca)...





The Italian Flag Cousin (Anthony noticed they were wearing these colors- not planned- and loved the idea of taking this photo this way)... :-)

June 14, 2009- My Turn In Nursery/Small Child Care At Church...

Emergency Prayer!

Tracy Ocasio, our missing cousin





Tracy Ocasio, our missing cousin



We have a cousin who has been missing since May 27, 2009. Her name is Tracy Ocasio. Please pray for our family.

Links to read more and see Pictures...

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/orl-missing-tracy-ocasio-062409,0,6058290.story

Photos from same site...
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/orl-missing-tracy-ocasio-pictures-060209,0,2262836.photogallery

My Good Laugh...

Yesterday was a great "laugh" day. I visited the blogs of two friends and was inundated with humor that just wonderfully tickled my funny bone.

I thought I would pass it on to you in hopes that you might be blessed with a good giggle, chuckle, or plain roll on the floor in fits.

"Laughter is a medicine." So take a good dose... Of course, simple humor and not the rauchy kind, is best for our souls, too.

So, I have a question for you... What makes you go into a fit of uncontrollable laughter?

Here are yesterday's examples.

http://www.octamom.com/2009/06/humor1-of-8-style.html

http://scribbit.blogspot.com/2009/06/whats-meaner-than-mother-moose.html

With a good sigh, I say, "Yay! for giggles, guffaws, and snorts,
That lighten our hearts and souls,

Yay! for the smiles contagiously shared,
And the lives where bubbling Joy cavorts."

(By Celita :-D )

June 7, 2009 Joe's 3rd Birthday Party!!!

My friend, Elaine, just celebrated her son's 3rd birthday. It was a Backyardigans theme, and was so fun, colorful, and enjoyable. Elaine made the cake herself. It was a fun time together.


































































The papercut I made for Joe's birthday...

June 6, 2009 Michael W. Smith in Bari...

Standing in line, waiting to get into the arena...







Brothers- and their cousin peeking in...























Sound check...







The concert begins with Nico Battaglia...























































3rd or 4th Cousins- still family... :-)






























And, once again, God met me where I was... This is the second year EVER that Michael W. Smith has come to do a concert in Italy, and this year was equally as memorable as the first year, two years ago. We got there early, got front row on the standing area on the soccer field- about 12 feet from the stage, and... I gave a card to one of the security guards for Mr. Smith and it was confirmed that MWS got it. Okay, the card mostly said "thank you" for all these years that he has had impact on my life. I could definitely mention lots of times, but... I won't. Anyway, there were 15 of us from our church who went, if I remember correctly. A well known Italian Christian music artist named Nico Battaglia opened for Mr. MWS. The concert was very much like a worship service. So refreshing. I was blessed beyond words. I was hungry for something in particular, and God granted me some relief and the opportunity to unload my heart. Big sigh... Here are some of the pictures of the event. I will add the group picture when I get it from someone else. Afterwards we went out to pizza. We got home at 3 am. Crazy!

May 31, 2009 Antonio And Giosaia- Orientation To Soccer And Antonio's First Game...

So excited...















Luca was a good sport to let me make him wear Miranda's cute little cheerleading jacket for a bandana...







Antonio was on team England...















Giosaia was on team Brazil with his friend, Augusto...

June 19, 2009 2nd Round of Miscellaneous Pictures of Family And Friends...

I like ice cream, yes I do. I like ice cream, how about you?







One of my most favorite sleeping pictures- Oh how I will miss this...







Welllll...






Advice from Miranda- Keep your eyes wide open...







Hi, Mamma, can I have a snack? I am hungry.







Going in for the bite...







Yum...







What?







And... there will be days like these...







Another brothers picture...







I am three, and my school-made Pooh Character bowling pins are fun!!!







Why do people think they look like twins???







Dario loves the animals- Blackie the sheep,







And my mother-in-law's chickens...

June 19, 2009 Miscellaneous Pictures Of Family and Friends...

my niece, my son, and nonna...





My sister-in-law, my two boys, and Nonna...





Nonna Nunziata at 102 1/2 years old...





Sweet brother time...





Great kneepads, Luca!!!





Finally putting together The Flying Dutchman Megablocks ship that Giosaia got last year for his birthday... See, Anthony!!!





Dario's favorite movies- Toy Story 1 & 2 (He gets into the videos and ALWAYS grabs this one, waves it at me, as he holds his Woody toy.)
























Lupo





Co-sleeping only works if you are both ready to sleep, honey...





Bangs need to be behind ear, but oh so cute...





Onion Flowers, so simply pretty, great form, and great for drying for later use in home decor





Peekaboo 1





Peekaboo 2





My brother, J, and his son, N.- AWWWW!!!

Belated May 2009 Dario And Shades Of Gray...

Belated May 2009 Nonna Nunziata and...

Anthony grandmother will be 103 years old in October 2009.

Belated April 2009 Miscellaneous Pictures Of Family And Friends...

Here's winking at you, Mamma...








Brothers and friends...








So Mad!








Embraceable You...








Working hard...








Me and 3 of my 5 chickadees... :-)








Comfy pillow?









CHECK OUT THAT BROOM! Hilarious!!! (we rented a building for a church event, and this is one of the brooms they had available with which to sweep. :-)








Friends, C., B, and Baby G.








face art?

June 4, 2009 Snippety Gibbet, Paper Foods, And The Art Of Weaving Begun...

Besides being an amazing papercutter, Snippety Gibbet, is also an art teacher, which I mentioned in a previous post at my other blog. I just had to share this fun post concerning weaving, paper foods, and fingerprint ants.

http://snippetygibbet.blogspot.com/2009/06/ants-at-picnic.html

I think it is a great "busy" activity for the kids... And, it teaches dexterity, too. Good for those possible future pianists of mine? Hm... Only God knows. But, still fun to look into anyhow. Go on over! And have fun checking around.

A House To Dream About...

Now THIS is a house to dream about, or at least glean all kinds of inspiration, motivation, and creativity to do more with my own space. You just HAVE to take a look...

Check out that sofa. Love it!!! and all the details just EVERYWHERE!!! Wow!

http://decortoadore.blogspot.com/2009/05/bohemian-bungalow-part-one.html

Pop-Ups and Sound Alikes Are Just So Fun!...

I just HAD to share this spectacular book review from Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves... Here is what I personally wrote in the comments. "wow!! Seriously spectacular finds worth having... if I ever come across them, I will surely be ecstatic!!!"

Come and see what I mean!!! This particular post was just so fun for me. Oh, I wish I could come across such treasures!

http://www.vintagechildrensbooksmykidloves.com/2009/06/pop-up-sound-alikes.html