Happy Birth-Giving to ME!

So this year my Birthday fell on Thanksgiving! And BOY! do I have a lot to be thankful for! My mom cooked a wonderful 3 course meal (Red Italian chicory risotto, stuffed Capon since a Turkey would have been too much for only 5 people, and cheese cake!) I got to skype phone with my family in San Diego, saw my Papà, Nancy, Grandma, Brother Nick and Finaceè Kathryn! So fun to talk to them! Tonight (Saturday) I'm having a buffet dinner party at our house and, oh yeah, and I got these AMAZING gifts! ;-)

Yes, that is a PRADA zip around wallet! Two good friends, Marco & Stefania, spoiled me with it!

New Netbook, from which I am posting from! Thank you Mamma!

And my sweet husband got me this STUNNING black pearl and platinum diamanteé necklace!

COULD I BE ANY MORE THANKFUL???

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

December Re-Cap

We spent Christmas Eve with Enrico's family at his Mother's house and this year I didn't get many pictures; for some reason Xmas came and went very quietly this year.....

Fortunately, these chipmunks were with us to make Christmas Eve a little more magical!

(Chiara, Carlotta, Gabe & Camilla)

Enrico got me this beautiful painting of the city of Cagliari. It's symbolic because when I was little and would come and spend the summers in Italy, I had one of those colorful cabanas you can see on the beach (called "casotti" p. cas-oh-tee) , a true symbol of the city until they were taken down in 1986. It was very sad for me to come back the summer of '87 and not find them there anymore... lots of good memories running around the beach with my friends, hiding and playing amongst the cabanas.

For New Year's my friend Stefy & I organized a a buffet dinner party at a local cafè called Dulcis

Stefy & I

Enrico & Friends

Friends

I also lost my Mother's 50th B-day party pictures..... I dunno where I put them in my computer... I am so mad at myself.

Sunday Lunch

Wednesday Dec. 2nd was my mother-in-law's birthday, but since it was in the middle of the week, not all of the family was available to celebrate on the actual day. For her birthday (on wed.) Enrico & I invited her over for dinner to our house, where I for a change, cooked for her! We had a nice evening together.

On Sunday, we all went to restaurant on a farm and ate lunch there. The food was sooo good! Everything was genuine and the pasta was hand-made. I didn't get pictures of the food because I was too busy eating! We had a great afternoon that soon turned into evening at my sister-in-law's house where Carlotta insisted in decorating the Christmas tree all together... so x-mas tree it was!

Marinella & the cake

Carlotta REALLY wanted to use my Canon Rebel... so of course I let her and these are the pictures she took! Not bad uh??

Carlotta & her Mom Cristiana

Simona, Carlotta & Cristiana

This little munchkin (who will be two on the 16th) put on quite a show for us! He was HILARIOUS!

This (freaky) Santa Statue was at the entrance of the restaurant and Carlotta wanted a picture with it... and I would of though she'd have found it creepy. Kids! Go figure!

Sweet, sweet Carlotta.

Yup! Once you pass 30, it's true!!!

Happy Birthday To Me!

35 Baby!!!

So it was Enrico's 35th birthday on Aug. 26th,

and we decided to have a birthday bash at my Mom's house!

She helped us organize everything and decorated the yard oh so well!!!

Penny the dog, Enrico & Francesco

My good friend Alice, Virginié and me!

Guess Who Turned SIX!!!!!??

Our Sweet Niece Carlotta!!

I asked what she wanted, and she said that she wanted those "American Cakes with smarties on them" (of course she ment cup cakes!!) So my mother and I had fun making these beauties! Not bad for my FIRST (yes 1st) time making cup cakes and home-made frosting!!!

Gabry gettin big!!!

I really was proud of myself!!

She even had a wip-cream covered, custard cream filled birthday cake!

♫♪ ♪♫ ♪ Happy Birthday To You ♫♪ ♪♫ ♪

And of course her little brother was terrified of all the singing!
Hilarious how they always cry!!

Me, Camilla (Carlotta's cousin), Carlotta and her ballet teacher's daughter.
We had tons of fun playing Twister and pin the tail on the donkey! I wasn't able to get any pictures of those games since I was having fun playing with all the kids!!

We Love you Carlotta! Happy 6th Birthday!

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)