Christmas 2013

 From our Christmas party at church:  Aaron was Joseph, and Jordan was a shephard.

This picture doesn't do it justice, but at the family Christmas party on Christmas Eve at uncle Ivo's and aunt Ivana's there was some music and serious dancing going on.  Aaron started dancing with his cousin Valentina.  He was even twirling her.  Not sure where he learned how to dance, but he did a good job.

 This was our little gingerbread house that we did with the kids.

We did our best to put Christ into our Christmas.  I repeated last year's idea of writing down as many of their good actions as I could and on Christmas after we acted out the birth of Jesus, we offered our gifts to Jesus by reading them to him.  The kids' chest swelled with pride and I could see how happy they were with their good choices.  The next day Aaron even gave me a back rub, foot rub, and lots of cuddles, and then asked me to write it down on his gifts to Jesus.  You bet bud!  Maybe if I write down all of Paolo's good actions he'll offer to do the same. :)

half way to 90!

 December 17th my true love officially made it half way to 90!  That's the insulting nice way of saying he turned 45!  I have to say that we love this guy more than anything else in the whole world!!!  Happy birthday Papa`!

This is the birhtday cake that the boys requested we make- a monkey (in case you can't tell, which might be a big possibility!)

More Christmas projects

 This is a table top, 43 inches squared made for our neighbor.

 And Isabel eating the best foccaccia ever made by my husband at work, and posing!

I've also made a couple more of these pillow cases.  It's a lot of work for a person with so little time so it's going to go to people that I like a lot. :)

 And I've made a flock of these owls for Christmas presents to teachers/school staff and friends.

Christmas time is near...

 This is Isabel thouroughly enjoying a gelato that some friends brought when they came to visit.  I really shouldn't be giving my 2 year-old sugary stuff, but exceptions like friends being gelato are definitely allowed!

 A package from my mom came recently.  I opened it up before the kids, took out what needs to go under the Christmas tree, and then closed the packages back up for them to open up.  I was so grateful for the package because it's the time of year where I wish I could throw my arms around my family- around my mom, my sibblings, my nieces and nephews, my friends.  But being far away I can't.  I can love them with my all my heart, but that's about it.  So it was like getting my mom's arms thrown around me, and I was so grateful!

 Fun hats and gloves from Grandma

 ...and my favorite chocolate chips!!!

 Thanks grandma for the fun glasses, hats, stickers, and everything else!  Mostly thank you for thinking of us.

A song for Heavenly Father

Today while Jordan was busy drawing, something that he does a lot of all day long.  I actually expect him to become some kind of artist for the amount of time that he likes to draw.  I asked him what he was doing.  Here's what he told me:

Sto disegnando una canzone per Padre Celeste.  Non ci sono parole.  Ci sono solo le immagini.  E` piu lungo del mondo.  Cosi` può sentire di più lo Spirito.

I'm drawing a song for Heavenly Father.  There aren't any words, just pictures.  (after a brief pause) It's longer than the whole world.  That way He can feel the Spirit better!

Out of the mouth of babes!  So here's his "song":

a super SUPER hero

a king's crown

Jesus

a knight to fight off the bad guys

a web to catch the bad guys

a mother praying

Joseph Smith seeing a light

the world

armour

star at Jesus' birth

the sun and moon so that there's always light and night

defeating the bad guys

il cavaliere, the knight