The New Year

This is where we will be sitting tomorrow evening to celebrate New Year's Eve.

And to think that all of this is just 4 Km away from my house.....

and not some exotic destination.

Today was an absolutely FABULOUS day outside! The weather was soooo perfect that I took advantage of the fact and brought my camera with me. It was almost summer!

Merry Christmas to All!

Look Who's ONE! More Birthday Fun!

Gabriele Turned ONE on December 16th!

And on Sunday we had a small family birthday party for him!
Of course, he was showered with gifts from all of his aunts, uncles, cousins, Grandmothers and Godparents!


We love you very much Gabriele! Happy 1st Birthday!

His big sister helping him open our gift

Luigi, his Godfather

Gabriele on his first KTM sporting a matching pacifire !!
(gift courtesy of his godfather)

I think we've got another biker in the family!

Toys toys and more toys!! OH BOY!

My mother-in-law & me with Gabriele

I love him so much I just wanna squeeeeeze him!

"Happy Birthday tooo youuuu!"

Time to eat!
AAAAAAAAAA open wide!!!


Sweet Carlotta and her dance picture for this year's class.
(I just had to add this because she's too cute)

School's out!

My absolute beginners class is over! Boo-hoo! :-(

I really got to love these students. I'm so glad I was able to teach them English and the love for the language. It's so rewarding to hear them say simple things in English like "Oh I love pizza" while we were sitting at the pizza parlor for dinner last night! The age group was so vast, I was worried that I wouldn't have been able to get through to them all. The youngest student was my age, and the eldest about 65! It was an all "girls" class except for our male mascot, Stefano! Needless to say, they all learned something and no one got less than 75% on their final test! We had two 100% marks of which I was really impressed and thankful for!

My class!

Stefano our mascot!

The two 100%-ers!

(with yummy lemon sorbet in their hands)

December birthdays and fun!

Yesterday was my Mamma's birthday, she had been away for a few days in Stuttgart, Germany. Her niece bought her an airline ticket to go together to see the Christmas markets. They had 3 days packed of winter fun. When they came back on Sunday afternoon, I had organized a special dinner for her inviting a few of her friends and family to our house. I forgot to take pictures of the table and the yummy food I made, I was too busy cooking it all and forgot!

Happy Birthday Ma!!!

Blowing out her candles!

My Mom's cake made by her friend Lucia.

While Saturday was Enrico's Grandmother's Birthday....

96 years OLD!!!

Enrico & His Grandmother

Aunt Gabriella and Grandma Lucia

Gabriella, Lucia and Bruno (Lucia's Children)

Me and sweet Carlotta with my reindeer antlers!

Gabriele with the antlers

Simona with all her nieces and nephew.
Cristiana and her son.

He is such a happy baby!
Blowing out her candles again with her

grand children and great-grandchildren

The girls like to come up to our house and goof around with my things!

Chiara, Carlotta and Camilla.

(Enrico's Grandmother lives two stories down from us)

Chiara & Carlotta

Even presents are starting to show up under the tree!

The girls were really excited about that!

It IS beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Ahhh the smell of a real Norway Spruce

(it's small I know, but that's what you get here for a whopping 14€ or $20)

and I need that Christmas smell!

My 2009 ornaments:

Rudolph

and skating Santa!

My chocolate factory brought over to me in

July from my sweet family in San Diego

last year's piece

Living room !

Detail on the runner

Dining area
Our front door...

Gave it a cut!

So I too decided it was time for a cut!