Day 5 in Chicago was a beautiful, cold day. Nonno offered to take the boys for a ride in the miata (aka the "race car")!!! And, yes, if you are wondering, this is the same little miata (used to be red) that Mario and I shared in the early years of our marriage--pre-kids! Dad's put a lot of work into it since then--it looks like a completely different car!
all smiles from this bunch!
anthony goes first--
just a little spin around the neighborhood
lucas gives two (or four) "thumbs" up in his big gloves! haha!
so exciting!
here's a good look at the car...
definitely won't be the last time these boys will beg for a ride! :)
Nonno and Nonna treated us all do dinner at a little place called White Fence Farm--
a little restaurant Mario and Benny ate at occasionally growing up!
The place was all decked out for Christmas...
Mario said it hasn't changed a bit from the way he remembered it as a little boy!
The kids had a blast checking out all the decorations...
Anthony pets a little reindeer
Lucas liked this Charlie Brown display
and, of course, these two were lovely at dinner--
such good manners, boys! wow!
our group shot...
benny, rachel, me, dad, anthony, ma, lucas, mario
one last picture in front of the gigantic chicken before we go!!!
The next morning started out as a relaxing day for the boys...
a little coloring...
...a little movie with a snack
and here they are on their way for an exciting adventure...
oh yes! a real train ride!
(this may be where the idea for anthony's party was born!)
here they are on the train--so excited!
looking out the window
this boy is a daddy's boy lately!
keeping a tight hold of his ticket!
my baby boy--
not so much a baby anymore!
still intently watching outside...
eating a little snack that nonna packed
my darling husband--
i love our crazy life together!!!
finally mommy gets a sweet hug from this daddy's boy!!!
(i think i had to bribe him! ha!)
pulling into the station where nonna is waiting for us!
here we are exiting the train
"wave to nonna!"
"show me your tickets!"
they had a blast!
a little family photo on the mammina front porch--
a tradition every time we come
nonna made a recipe for "cloud dust"
i love this picture of anthony in his little apron
(which used to be his daddy's)
can you tell he thoroughly enjoyed it?!?
this boy loves special activities while little brother is napping
here's our group shot on the front porch--
can't leave this one out!
we stayed in and had a homemade pizza night
the boys enjoy some playtime with daddy
that's never complete without a little wrestling!!!
these two had fun in their bath playing with these foam disks for the swimming pool
and the best part about being all clean?
warming back up in front of the cozy fire!!!
after the kiddos went down, ben was kind enough to help me work on the invitations for lucas' party!
my goal is to get these out before Christmas since his birthday is on January 17th (but i rarely succeed amidst the holiday activities!).
Our trip isn't over yet! Just a couple more days left to enjoy the north and our mammina family!!!
0 comments:
Post a Comment