Pure happiness!!

I don't know which child took this picture, but doesn't Giana just look SO happy?!  This is one of those parenting moments that bring such joy.  I love this girl.

New Year's Day 2011

 It was a beautiful day!  We had worked hard getting our house back in order after the party.  So, we decided to make a trip to the State House to fly kites and feed squirrels.  We met up with Lizzy's family, since they were in town.  Then we ended up at Grandpapa's house for more games and ice cream (of course).

Giana showing off her gotee after some ice cream!

Ethan and Jonah were trying to snipe the squirrels after leaving a plate of popcorn for them.

Jonah, Amber, Isabel, Anthony, and Gabriella were taking turns sliding down these large end caps.

Jonah and Anthony took turns riding Gigi on their backs down the "slide".

The kids needed some refreshment from all that playing around. (Amber and Gabriella)

Our oversized squirrels-Ethan and Isabel

Christmas Season 2010

This season was as busy as usual.  I have discovered what a good little shopper Giana is!  We went all over the place trying to make sure that no one was forgotten.  We visited with a lot of family and had WAY too much sugar!  Here goes...

Amber and our friend Luke at the church Christmas party.  Amber was obviously an angel. 

And here we have Jonah with friends: Seth and Maddy.  He was Joseph and they all sang in a trio.

Amber was able to make the traditional Gingerbread house in Kindergarden.  I got to help assemble the houses.  But, to my disappointment-I wasn't able to see her decorate her house.

While Mama and Papa were at the temple, the kids played in the kitchen with Mimi!  Left to Right: Giana, Amber, Jonah, and Ethan.  Giana was loving the sprinkles which is fitting seeing as how her favorite name is "Sparkles"!

We were invited to a friends house to make gingerbread houses.  I don't recall making them, but I do have a bad memory.  It's not something we normally do.  Like I said, the kids get to make them in Kindergarden.  It was a good time, though!

Then, we were invited to Rocco's Aunt and Uncle's Bounce House place.  That's where the Del Priore's have been meeting up lately.  This was a pic of Rocco and his cousin Anthony inside of one, they had been wrestling.  These Del Priore men are so playful!  I love it.  That little girl inside is Giana.  She kept crying when Rocco was wrestling, all of our kids have done this a babies.  I think they are tender-hearted.

This was the children playing on Christmas morning, while the adults were cooking breakfast.  Giana and Amber were playing at Gigi's new "Tangled" table.  I still can't believe that she got a pillow pet!  Ethan was reading and Jonah was playing his DS, this is them in their element!

Amber got a vanity, cd player, and crafting supplies to name some.  She was a happy girl!

We got snow on Christmas night.  Here's aunt Tiffy doing Gigi's hair.  Doesn't she look so happy?!

And, we ended the season with Step Throat all around.  Thank goodness our grocery stores give free antibiotics because I had to get 4 sets!  Amber was acting so dramatic for the Dr.



Amber is 6!

I know this picture isn't great.  Sometimes I'm not so steady taking pictures with my iPhone.  This picture was actually taken on November 30, 2010.  We have started going to the candy store on the kids birthdays.

New Year's Eve Bash 2010

Disclaimer: These pictures are really bad quality.  But, we did want to document!

Rocco and I have been wanting to start a tradition of hosting a New Year's Eve party at our home.  So, when we found out that the Cocks would be playing on New Year's Eve, we knew this was the year to start.  We had a house full of family and friends!  We had the Bowl Game going for the adults, games with prizes for the kids, a money pinata, fireworks, and games for the adults.  Our night started at 6:30 and ended at 4:30, with some overnighters.  Honestly, I never thought that our house would be up to par again, but we had it back and running by the next afternoon.

Here's Jonah doing a sparkler.

Amber and Vince patiently waiting for Roc to give them another round.

Gigi's getting her turn in.  This is also where we did our "prize walk". 

This is our money pinata.  This was after midnight, but everyone hit their second wind.  This is Little Anthony getting a turn with his dad there for support.  Everyone else was anxiously awaiting their turn.  (Below: Isabel is giving it a go...)

Rocco and Anthony were showering the kids with real money and chocolate money.  The teenagers were so good, they were able to get money and not trample the little ones.  I think everyone got about $3-$6 a piece.  However, we are definately going to have to find more room!

Jonah nailed the pinata!  Then, Vince came up and finished the job!

The next pictures are from my phone.  How sad that they are so much better than the ones on my camera!

 Ethan was watching the fireworks from a distance.

 Just the two of us.  We were able to sneak a picture.

Kristin popped in for a visit.  Here she is texting at midnight.

We would love to have some of our out of towners here next year!  We will be tweaking it all year, always trying to improve...

July: Brother's Get-away

Since Alex has been "home" so much, we wanted to have a weekend together with just brothers and spouses.  Dawn flew right into M.B.  Ethen and Rebekah met up with us later that night.  Which ended with a lot of game play.

This was how our morning started...with the boys huddled around homework!  Roc and Alex have really enjoyed helping Ethen while giving him a hard time!

 Here's Alex at the beach showing that Hot Bod!  He's 40 and proud, baby!  We mostly laid out and played Bocci ball.

And of course we had to go and eat at a churrascaria.  That was our big splurge.  Someone else's was a Coach bag(hah!).

Then we went on to play frisbee golf, even if we were too full to move!

Here's Roc getting his frisbee out.  Alex and Dawn definately dominated the game, but we all had a great time.

So, this picture didn't turn out very well...but this was our last pic together. 

We ended our trip the next day with more eating and shopping.  This would mark the last trip for Ethen's sandals, as they were replaced.  Ethen and Alex continued their vacation, but ours ended.  We were ready to get home to the chitlens.