Christmas

The girls had a great Christmas. They got lots of fun new toys to play with and their days were filled with traditions we want to start as of this year and some we have already done before, but now are official. We missed being with everyone from Virginia, but we look foward to being with everyone next year as we probably will not all be together the following year. One of the best things we were able to experience, was the Christmas Eve service at our church. The girls LOVED the music. Adelynn danced and Gabriella sang - loud, the whole time. It was neat to have Gabriella there and listen to her singing all the songs. On Christmas morning we woke up late, read Luke chapter 2, while drinking hot chocolate and opened some gifts. After eating a yummy breakfast of homemade sweet bread and jumping on the trampoline, we made a "Happy Birthday Jesus" cake and of course enjoyed eating it! When it got dark, we drove around a little looking at lights, the girls were wiped at that point!

A trip to the mall

As a Christmas present for TwoDaddy (Michael's dad) this year Gabriella decided (on her own) that she wanted to Build a Turkey for him to sleep with every night! She put a voice recorder in it with her own voice recorded and had to try on several different outfits. She decided on a Santa outfit complete with cowboy boots! His collar even lights up for real! She was very proud of the present she made and TwoDaddy loved it too!

A few months ago Gabriella made a Build an Elephant and here is a picture of Adelynn holding a baby Build an Elephant. She was very happy to have her own!

We took the girls to see Santa, but I couldn't get the picture to upload! Gabriella is smiling and Adelynn is crying because she doesn't know what is holding her! The picture above is Gabriella telling her baby sister that it's okay it is just Santa and to not be scared.

Gabriella sees her trampoline for the first time

I want a - Trampoline? for Christmas?!

Well, call us those people. You know the ones with all the kid stuff taking up the yard! Yep we are now officially in that category! Michael's mom really wanted Gabriella to have a trampoline after how much fun she had on theirs in Virginia a few months ago, so it is their Christmas present to us. I know we will all have fun playing on it. After Michael got off work last week before Christmas, he had a friend, Britt, come over and help him put it together while Gabriella was sleeping. Of course before this could happen the yard needed to be cleaned up of all the sticks and branches left from the cutting down of the huge tree. Since Michael was working, that would be my job! I didn't mind considering it is good exercise. Especially since it was 80 degrees yesterday! The girls hung out with me outside and Adelynn got her first taste of dirt! She loved getting herself all dirty while Gabriella kept telling her "no!" No Adelynn don't eat the dirt! No Adelynn don't put dirt on yourself you'll get all dirty! Adelynn don't eat leaves. My response was Gabriella it's okay she is a baby and that is how she learns! Can't you tell the first from the second born?! So after the yard was beautiful and all the girls were clean we came inside watched a movie, ate popcorn and relaxed! Of course, Michael and I had to test it out last night before Gabriella got on it and that is when I realized it hurts my knee to jump on it - I am getting OLD! So in the morning I let Gabriella go and jump, she was pretty excited, but it makes her tired fast - woo hoo! Adelynn loves it too she scoots around in circles laughing! Thanks Nonni and Two Daddy for our fun Christmas present! We will have so much fun playing and so will you when you come in March:-D

My sweet Gabriella

Adelynn is getting so big!

Adelynn ants to play Balderdash!

The day before Thanksgiving this year

Just had to show a picture of the yummy Thanksgiving food!

Putting the star on the tree with Daddy!

Our yard is where plants come to die!

The front of our house after two trees and lots of
limbs were cut. There is more on the side of the
house and this goes all the way to the neighbors yard!

The tree would have fallen on its own
soon! Carpenter ants had made it their
home!


Look close at the top and to the left.
There is a man at the top of the tree
cutting limbs.

There are two men in the tree in this picture!

El Paso?

Michael got orders to be stationed in El Paso! Unfortunately we don't know what that means right now! His unit is trying to reverse the orders so we can stay here, but it doesn't look promising. If he goes to El Paso, there is a good chance of him deploying to Iraq soon after arriving there, so the girls and I will probably just stay behind. We will keep you posted when we find anything out.

Tub fun

Thanks for the fun new bath toys Nonni!

Recipe for: A green mouth baby

Leave one Michael. one baby and one stamp pad alone in a room...

Heater and stolen stereo

Yesterday I went out to start the car so it would be warm when it was time to leave for school. When I opened the door - my car had been broken into and my stereo stolen! By the way the police don't do anything except take a report and give you a case number- over the phone! So while Michael took Gabriella to school I talked to the police and waited for the heater technician to arrive and check out our heater that had not yet been turned on this season. We found out that our heater is headed to its grave being 16 years old- it wouldn't even turn on. We need to buy a whole new system!

Being petitioned

Sorry it has been a while since I have posted! I have been overwhelmed with stress and anxiety, not to mention a bit of depression. Since Thanksgiving things with my mother have snowballed and just the other night I received an email with a letter and petition for grandparent's rights. That's right my mother wants to take me to court and sue me because she has not been able to see Gabriella much in three years. She says I am and always have been a negative source in her life and has told me to leave her alone and stay out of her life. However in almost the same breath/sentence she can say that she wants to see and take Gabriella off somewhere alone. She could care less about our other child. I have tried for the last year and a half to work something out where we could forgive and move on and try to establish some kind of relationship, but she cannot forgive anything from the past and because of this she cannot move on. I feel that she should not be trying to have a relationship with only Gabriella. I am her only daughter. I think there needs to be cordial communication about present and future and nothing about the past. Oh yeah, and did I mention she wants nothing to do with Adelynn! She had never looked her direction until Thanksgiving when she got so jealous she took her from me. Now her petition is all about Gabriella! Enough ranting. Be patient I will get with it again soon.

Dancing

She is standing now and dancing and cruising! Oh and of course, lots of falling and bumping her head!

One-legged scooting

Exploring

While I was cleaning up around the house I let Adelynn explore the house a little. I went to get her, but I had to follow her noises and this is where I found her! She was in the bathroom - behind the bathroom door! I let her figure out how to get herself out, but she got frustrated after a few minutes. What a silly baby explorer!

Calling Two Daddy

Adelynn called Two Daddy (Michael's Dad) on the phone. She was very happy to talk to him and even happier when he would talk back to her. She hung up on him before Michael could get the phone from her.

Sea World

Adelynn loves all things Sea World! She thought the Shamu show was the best thing ever!

Above: This is our little trucker - she had to get a hat because she was cold and didn't like the hood on her sweater.

Below: Adelynn loved watching the dolphins. She tried to go in the water with them a few times.

Peek-a-Boo! Adelynn was taking a nap when we arrived at Sea World so we put the blanket over the stroller hoping she would go back to sleep, but this is what we saw right after we entered the park. She thinks it's ground hog day!

Today we took the girls to Sea World. We wanted to do something fun Gabriella and it ended up that Adelynn had the most fun!

Below: Here is a short video of Adelynn watching Shamu. She was like this the entire show! She was also squealing in delight, jumping, laughing and talking to the whales. I am pretty sure she was calling them cats! Who knew she would love the show this much! Gabriella can't even sit through an entire show without getting restless.

Holiday Pictures

Our friend Amy took pictures for us Thursday for our Christmas cards. We had fun being subjects in her photos and I think she had fun taking all the pictures. It was hot that day, but we got some good ones. I love the picture of our beautiful girls! They are such sweet sisters. Thanks Amy!

Pictures

Homecoming

Last night Uncle Moe passed away. We are happy to know that he is now at peace and with the loved ones we long to see. We are thankful to hear he can now rest in the presence of the Lord. We will miss his energy and Foglio personality.