Visit w/ Evangelista's, 2014, Stella's Birthday, Niners, Random Kid Playdates!

Before the end of the year we had dinner with our Australian friends! Easton was on the move now and has grown so much since we saw him last. The kids love playing together!

 HAPPY NEW YEAR from our family to yours!  We had been so busy in November & December that we decided to lay low on New Years Eve. That is very untypical of us, but we had a great night!

At the end of the year we decided our kitchen needed the last of the updating that was long overdue. I have no design vision, but Mike had always thought they would look better white.  It is amazing how much it has changed the look and brightened the place up! Jason Brannon of Brannon Painting did the job for us and it turned out excellent!

When you need your apple cut, well just get your saw...and have a sword for back up.

Happy Birthday Stella!  Or as the kids say, "Our Stella or Seve's Stella??"



Lately the kids have been able to have lots of fun with friends! Dino rides with Peyton..
Ice cream with Nico..

Dress up with the Archuleta's...

 
Niners had a good run... Salute!

The kids and I were at the park playing and Giada wanted to take some pictures.... and this is what we got!
 

For Christmas my dad decided my mom would like Chickens, so a coop was made.  The kids pretty much think this was the best gift ever. They want to go over multiple times a day to check on Boo, Sully and Mikey. Multi- colored eggs are a big hit.

Fun day with Stella last week. The weather was so beautiful we spent hours at the lake!

Christmastime!

I will finally wrap up 2013 posts with the Christmas one. This was the last of our mini sessions for this year.  Always fun to do, and makes me take photos year round of the kids.  Thanks Steph! (Stephanie Moe Photography) Always challenging with the kids at these ages. Gino is into this funny smile, that he thinks is just great, and he comments that Giada "isn't saying cheese" in her pictures. She has mastered the fake smile, so we have to try to make her do real ones.  I consider it a success that they are both looking at the camera, and we got Gino to sit still for 2 seconds. He is usually trying to redecorate her studio, play with the feather duster, or use props not appropriate for our current session. Stephanie is usually laughing, and I am usually sweating from trying to be a clown and make them laugh while we are there!! Making memories! 

Kids love having their little trees in their rooms!

Holiday Spirit at the Gramms!

Christmas is so much fun with kids running around. Gino was a little more aware this year and Giada was sure to tell him Santa was watching, when she thought he was misbehaving. She actually said a couple times. "Gino, Santa and God are watching, so you should behave"

Per the usual, Gino is moving so fast that his photos are blurry!

Happy girl with her Butterfly Barbies from Santa! I mean, is this girl even mine??? I got my first Barbie at 18 as a joke from my mom for graduation. Graduation Barbie!

Our little chefs got new aprons and hats from dad and safe cutting knives for the kitchen. 

Gino of course tried to use his to cut open his gifts.

 Christmas Eve - We do a little running around both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but are fortunate to have both families in town!

Now we have both kids doing silly smiles!

Fuhrman Cousins

Christmas Day

Christmas checkers tradition continues! We have had this game out at my moms as long as I can remember. I think it was a gift from Aunt Diane long ago; I wasn't happy to lose!

 Matching PJ cousins! Giada and Gino wandered off and were a little too quiet... then she comes out with tattoos on her forehead. Perfect, right before family photos! I knew the quiet was too good to be true.

Santa, Christmas Lights, Rooco's Birthday, Mother Daughter Party, Chayse & Baby Barbera

December is full of fun events with friends and family. One evening the Kerns and Coldanis had the same idea to see the movie Frozen, and got out dinner, so together we went. Gino's first movie, and he sat decently.  Adorable movie, not just for children, that little snowman is a crack up.

 Santa seemed to be popping up everywhere this December, and we made it through with not too many questions! Cheers to that, and hoping for more of the same next year.

Happy 1st birthday Rocco!

 The Annual Mother Daughter party, going on 15+ years. I look forward to it every year. Wonderful time to catch up with lifelong friends and their mothers. Stace and Neps we missed you, hopefully next year. Thanks Linds for hosting a beautiful night. xo

Dress up and accessories are always top priority in our house. This particular time I hear Giada say, "Gino you look so good in that!" So, I peek my head around the corner and go check it out.  I laughed and said, "What makes that outfit look so good?" She says, well of course the cape and purse!"

The kids went to visit Grandma Carol before she headed back to her to the Vintage. She now has 2 new hips and will be much more careful on her adventures to Target.  We were all so glad she was able to get settled and well in time to spend Christmas with us!

Maybe a new tradition?? Walking Candy Cane Lane in Sacramento to see all the lights.

 Hot chocolate, a free ride and lights, kids were thrilled!

 

We took a quick trip to Bloomfield (Petaluma) one day, for lunch with the Barbera's and for Mike to meet his Godson Gino Joesph "Joe"

Look who I got to see! Great to catch up with Chayse when she was in town for the holidays!

                                                        Family pictures from the Sans!