5th Wedding Anniversary

5 years ago today I married my eternal companion! I love Paolo and know that he is a gift to me. Now our eternal family has 2 wonderful additions: Aaron and Jordan. I just wanted to tell my tesoro that I love him with all of my heart! -Julie

self-photo

The last time I tried to check out some blogspots, I turned around to find this little guy covered in strawberries! He is getting so big! He now tries to sing "I am a child of God" whenever he hears it, and he gets the last 3-4 words pretty good. He also loves to give kisses (something that Aaron never did). He is so happy and good natured. I love having Jordan around.

Since I never have pictures of me and the kids, I attempted some self-portraits. This is what I came up with. :)

My favorite is Jordan looking up and Aaron looking dead serious.

We had some friends from Italy who were passing by. This was our friend Roberto's hat that Aaron took and then took off on his trike. That same day we were inside playing and the boys were loving the attention from Roberto. They kept trying to steal his glasses. So Roberto held them up in the air and started to auction them off. He said, "what will you give me in exchange for these glasses?" Aaron without a seconds hesitation responded, "baby Jordan!" Quite the exchange!

Happy 4th of July!

I don't take enough pictures, or post very often. JOrdan is turning into quite the little boy. He eats like a pig and is still underweight. The boys keep me more than busy. Recently my m0m and step-dad came into town to visit. It was fun hanging out with grandma and grandpa Copple. We went to This is the Place State Park. The boys had a blast!

Aaron has said for the last 50 times straight: "Aaron on the train!" I think that was his highlight for the trip.

Cousins. I love my nieces and nephews and am happy when I get to see them.

The other highlight: petting the lambs and goats.

Or maybe it was the horseride.

A rare smile for the camera.


Just as a comment on the 4th of July. I'm not very eloquent but I do want to express my profound gratitude for the freedom I enjoy. I am so grateful for the many men and women throughout the history of this land that have sacrificed for political, religious, ethical, and all basic freedoms. Having lived abroad for a few years I am so grateful to have as much as I do. I do believe that we should be a nation under God. I feel like some of my core values are sometimes attacked and ridiculed. But I believe that as we love our Savior and our fellowmen, and protect the family that this nation will continue to be blessed.

June 2010

Aaron is my serious boy. He does smile a lot, but rarely for the camera.

Paolo has been showing Aaron how to play baseball. We put the ball on the bucket and Aaron hits it and runs towards first base. He's actually quited good for barely 3 years old.

We had friends visit from Italy for a day, and they brought us the Italian flag. Aaron LOVED that flag. He even had to take it to bed with him. He wouldn't give it up. Needless to say that he didn't get a nap that day.

Evviva Italia!

This is a sweet deal: free truck. The neighbors were going to throw it away because a wheel is bent. We don't mind bent wheels. The boys have absolutely loved it.

These are some of my favorite faces that Jordan makes on a daily basis.

Another typical Jordan: with food in his mouth. This kids eats more than I do right now.

Jordan has long hair on top that some days looks like an awesome comb-over, and other days like a rooster. Jordan in my drama king, and frequently has this expression on his face when he is upset about something. Love him to death!

At Wheeler Farm.

Love the teeth.

Chickens

Aaron loves to try to put on Dad's garden boots (that he can't even fit into). In the background is the new car that I got. We traded mine in. We got a Volkswagon Passatt station wagon 2005. I LOVE it!!!

Aaron also just turned 3. Happy Birthday Aaron. We didn't do anything for his birthday for. I just didn't feel like it.

On one of the few nice days we've had, we had a picnic and ate some really good cantelope.

The picnic just happened to be in the part of the yard fenced off for our new chickens.

So we'll probably never have any cats or dogs, but we gave in and got some chickens. We got 3 chickens from one of Paolo's co-workers. The next morning we woke up to the crowing of the rooster. Really annoying actually. So a few days later we took that one back. The next morning we woke up to crowing again. Big sigh. 2 out of 3 were roosters. So we actually purchased 4 chickens from a farm (with the guarantee that they are female). 3 of them lay the regular brown eggs, and the 4th lays blue eggs. They are still young so it will be a few months before they actually start to lay eggs. We have a total of 5 chickens.

Happy late Birthday Jordan!

This is Jordan's first birthday cake: flan. I didn't feel like doing anything messy this time, although admittedly the pictures are more fun if you do. We just called uncle Daniele on skype when Jordan woke up, and he got a special breakfast.

I can't believe that my baby is 1! The time goes way too fast the second time around.

I love his smile, and this is a typical grin from him.

Aaron is almsot 3, and you can tell. His loves are: all animals (ferocious and benign), tractors, buses, ambulances, police cars, fire men/trucks, and running (mostly away from me at top speeds).

He also loves to feed the animals.

This kid has no fear.

I also just buzzed his head, and was very sad afterwards. I actually like his long hair. I comfort myself by saying that it's his "summer cut".

Give him a piece of candy and he'll hold still for anything.

I've also just purchased a low quality mountain bike from DI, and had the bike trailor from a co-worker. We've started short excursions on the bike on the very few days it hasn't been poor weather. We're looking forward to summer weather! The first ride Aaron kept his arm in a hug around Jordan. It was so stinking cute, especially because Aaron has never been the cuddly type.

Cereal up the Nose

This is the byproduct of a trip up Aaron's nose. I'm sure it was quite the horrible trip for this poor little cereal. It's never been up a slimey place like that before. If only it knew that a piece of bread made the same horrible fate just two days before.

I'm not sure why Aaron has discovered that shoving things up his nose is fun. This piece of cereal was WAY up there too. Fortunately for Aaron his mom is an ER nurse and knows a trick or two.

So here is a tutorial if anyone has a child that sticks something up his/her nose: Lay your child on the bed. Close the nostril that isn't plugged with fun treats. Go in as if you were going to give your child a kiss. Then put your mouth over there's and form a good seal (as if you were to give a breathe doing CPR). Blow hard. Don't worry, you won't hurt them. Sometimes you have to blow more than once, but it's not guaranteed that they will hold still for more than one blow. The object (and sometimes a face full of snot) will then come out, probably onto your face!

Hope none of you have to do this!

Aaron loves "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands". We sing the Italian version and he is so cute when he does it!

Paolo was watching Jordan while I was napping the other day. To pass the time he decided it was really funny to make Jordan look like Alpha Alpha. I have to agree. It was really quite funny.

Jordan feeding himself spaghetti.

Jordan is starting to take his first steps, but he'd much rather crawl still.