Some Pre-Christmas Fun

We had some fun in the weeks leading up to Christmas...

anthony still LOVES going to Lowe's to see the forklifts!

we started this in the summer as a cheap way to have fun while staying out of the 110 degree weather, and he still asks to go there every time we drive past one!

Mario and I at the Meyerson Symphony Center--We got to go to a Michael W. Smith Christmas concert here with some old friends from Joshua Expeditions. MWS was accompanied by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra...so beautiful!

pictures my sweet boys made me to wish me a happy birthday on the 17th






They weren't feeling well, so we went looking at Christmas lights and put them to bed. Mario and I quietly celebrated my birthday at home with some presents and some tiramisu--yum!

yay! the immersion blender i wanted! soups and smoothies, here i come!

one week our playgroup had santa and mrs. claus come visit. they were the most sweet couple from our friend jill's parents' sunday school class, and apparently, they make a TON of "santa stops" every season! they played the part so well! this is the first time my kids have ever sat on santa's lap, so they weren't sure what to think! they were fully convinced it was fun after santa let them pull some m&ms out of his big bag of goodies! (thanks, jill, for setting this up for us!)

we went out into the greenbelt behind our house to do a photo shoot to get some good pics for this year's christmas card--here are some of my favorites...

two cuties

lucas kept wanting to put his hands in his "pockets"--it was so adorable--he missed his pockets completely every time, and just shoved his hands inside his overalls!

tried to get some "playing in the leaves" shots--that didn't turn out so well! they sure had fun throwing leaves, but we didn't get any good pics, and then, they didn't want to stop throwing the leaves so i could get a shot of them sitting! guess i should've saved that one for the end--lesson learned!

one of my favorites--and the one that made the christmas card! it captures their everyday personalities so well! these boys just love living life! every single day they are just so joyful!

this was my other favorite!

can't believe my babies are growing up so fast!

they look like little boys instead of babies--i always tell them they better slow down!

i'm trying to treasure every minute of them being little!

Thanksgiving Week-Long Celebration

Well, we went into the holidays with a bang! Super busy, but fun, fun, FUN! Mario's parents and brother were able to come visit us here in McKinney for a little over a week. It was constant activity (I guess it always is with the little ones), but it was very relaxing at the same time. The boys had a ball with their Nonno, Nonna, and Uncle Benny (or "Buncle Benny" as Lucas calls him). :) Once again, we were spoiled with good food and great company. Just wish you guys lived a little closer so we could do this more often!

the boys play with their garbage trucks while the family gets unloaded

oops! garbage trucks are supposed to stay inside!







family dinner #1--pork tenderloin

doing sticker books with Nonno

wow! here comes the garbage truck!

Anthony loves watching them come down the alley

watching a special show with the garbage trucks by their sides

these two are nothing but trouble ;)

Lucas loves playing "horsey" with Dada

goofing off with Nonno

family dinner #2--pulled pork (Nonno's secret recipe)
I have to say, it does rank right up there with some Memphis bbq I've had

Lucas is ready to thank God for his food
(Every time I pick him up from Sunday School, his teachers comment on how he folds his hands so nicely during prayer time--sweet boy)

Nonna takes the boys for a long walk Thanksgiving day morning

there they go!

Anthony has gotten so fast on his bike that it's hard to keep up while pulling Lucas in the wagon!!!

Nonna snapped this one on her phone--they are so happy playing outside!

my adventurous boys

they still get along really well most of the time--

they both have caring spirits

LOTS of cooking going on!

this was the indoor work crew

and this was the outdoor work crew!

(Uncle Benny worked both shifts! haha!)

and, YES, that's our turkey on the grill--a first for us, and it was DELICIOUS!!!

uncle benny shares some pistachios with anthony

cutie--he loved them!

the boys love playing games on daddy's ipad

putting the finishing touches on our meal

family dinner #3--TURKEY!

Happy Thanksgiving!
We always have so much to be thankful for every day!!!

making chalk pictures outside the next morning

on his bike again

oops! where's your helmet, Anthony?!?

taking a little snack break

two sweet brothers

two goofy brothers!!!

family dinner #4--italian sausage and portabella mushroom gnocci
Uncle Benny's early Christmas present to us was playing chef for a night. It was awesome! The kids were in bed, I didn't have to pay a babysitter, and the food was WAY more incredible than anything I would've paid money for...thanks Ben--It was AMAZING!

Will you come back and do it again?--next week is open for us!!! ;)

our gourmet menu for the evening--food to die for!

wonderful service!

boys reading curious george the next morning

We tried to spend the morning in downtown mckinney.

It was miserably cold and drizzly, so we came back home pretty quickly.

we did stop for one quick picture in the sled

family pic at church the next morning

guess which one was being a stinker!!!

so handsome

these two are pretty handsome too!

david and marsha came by for a visit--what a fun time of catching up!

more backyard fun

don't you just want to squeeze him?!?

we celebrated our Christmas morning on 11/28

the boys had fun passing out all the gifts

Nonna reads a new Thomas book to the boys

Anthony is all smiles

Lucas stomps around in Anthony's new snow boots

uncle benny got a meat ginder--just like grampa's

these brothers always find something to laugh about!

these brothers loved wrapping themselves in the ribbon!

mario got the shopvac he's been wanting for awhile

Anthony and Lucas proudly look at their new dvds--thomas and cars!

Nonna got some yummy smelling ulta lotions

Nonno got some cash to put towards a new trolling motor

Dad and Benny in the garage working on some projects

the girls take the little boys to the park to run some energy out

they still love the slides

of course, the wood chips are still their favorite part!!!

Lucas tries on Anthony's helmet--silly boy!

they love helping with the mail

scooting around the backyqard

building a lego tower the next morning

Nonna gets in a few more snuggles before they have to get back to Chicago

Uncle Benny gets his last bit of time in with the boys as well

they don't get to see him a lot, but they sure do love him!

everybody wave goodbye to Nonno and Nonna!

(uncle benny flies out in the afternoon)


We sure enjoyed every minute of it! Please come back and visit again really soon!