29th of April 2011

We arrive in Chicago, our new home, late at night on the 29th of April.

Our Year of Summer!!!

August 2010

November 2010 Barossa Valley

August 2010 Not exactly summer, but first time in 10 years these 4 siblings have been together!

November 2010, Sunset at our beach in Glenelg

October 2010, Scaring the fish at a local park's fountain

Rosetta's view

How lucky are we!!! The summer in Adelaide lasts more half the year. If I can swim in the ocean, it is summer! Damian would disagree as he will only swim if it is near or above 100 degrees. He might have to change that attitude or he'll rarely go in Lake Michigan. The 'cold' weather only lasts a couple of months in Adelaide with the remainder of months, beautiful spring and fall weather which can be quite warm during the day. Basically we can be outside all year around! Sometimes I think, 'another sunny day', and long for snow, thunderstorms and cozy days in...but then I get to spend the day outside with my toddler, who can only be stimulated so much in our tiny apartment, and I feel really fortunate. With this said, we are moving to one of the coldest places on Earth! Why??? We miss our family and friends and this American has been away for 9 years!!! We arrive in spring and there begins our second summer! Yay! Yankies, see you all soon!!!

Coming Home!!!

If you haven't already heard, we're moving to Chicago in 2011! It has been in the works for some time and as long as Dam gets his green card, we will arrive end of April. We love our life here in Oz but miss America so much. a very bittersweet and enormous change for our family. We look forward to our year long summer and intend to savour our last months in Oz before embracing what feels like our 'new' home in Chicago. Lots of love to you all xo

Look back at 'almost 11 months...' post

Once again I am adding to old posts! Basically this is my scrapbook and I want all my favorites here. I just raided Victoria's online album and found some great ones of Ava and Frankie. I am trying to catch up to current photos, my dear sister ;-))

Summer before Winter...and before we had a walker

Francesco and Ava trying hard to share

Frankie's mate Ava and her mum, Victoria, took care of Francesco while I studied. Many beautiful photos came out of their adventure, here are a few.

Francesco's 1st bike!
A 1st birthday gift from Nonna, thank you Nonna!!!

Beautiful moment of balancing without holding on!





Ben and Damian

Ben's partner, Vicki, holding Francesco with her daughter Ruby on right and Ben's daughter, Olivia on left. These girls are only-children and 1 month apart, how lucky are they that there parents found one another! Maybe they will be sisters one day ;-)))














He often falls asleep on the way home in the pram, but I never thought he could do it in this!!! We had a wonderfully long morning at the beach and I guess I exhausted him enough to fall asleep in this crazy position.

Amy's way of organizing...never sequentially ;-))

I have just realized that I created a post in January...2009!!!...and never 'published' it. So for Frankie's fans, there is flash-back if you want to see some lovely photos at the beach when he was only 3 months old! See January 30 2009.
xo

Very proud Mums of 1 year old cubs!!!

Ava's 1st birthday party
I have only spent a year and a half or so with these women but I feel like we have been friends for years! I love them so much and am so very grateful to have them in our lives. I would be a very different mum without them. We have shared a very special time in our lives and I feel so blessed to have experienced it with them, as well as our very missed 5th mumma, Ana.
We miss you sweet Ana and Abril xoxooxox

Happy 1st Birthday Francesco!!!

Well, he is now 17 months, but I did create this post back in November . I got caught up in Uni, preparing for our America trip and being in America for 9 weeks and then summer fun upon our return to Australia. Needless to say, I am way behind but I wanted to share with our loved ones who were not able to attend Francesco's 1st birthday. We had a party the weekend before his birthday at a local community centre with close friends and a very Creazzo intimate dinner on the big day with Nonna and Aunty Marisa. There was also a mini celebration at our weekly 'yoga' playgroup where we brought cake and fruit to share with mates.

PLAYGROUP CELEBRATION

Partying at playgroup

Frankie giving Eva a cheeky grin


Frankie and Ben
Trying their best to share ;-)

Karen, Francesco, Sarah and little mate, Sierra

Frankie, Olivia and Eva

Mini-celebration at playgroup with a really wonderful group of women and their precious bubs.

PARTY AT COMMUNITY CENTRE

Me and Mandy


An Australian male and his meat...what more is there at a BBQ?


Leigh and Ava


Birthday Boy


Vicki, Ben, John, Joe and Craig


Dam always has a hard time cooking without eating simultaneously ...I didn't even get any of this lamb!



Ava, Francesco and Seb



Sebby and Ava, guess who's the dominant one ;-)


Amanda and Victoria with their husbands, Leigh and Steve


Nobody walking just yet...but getting ready!

Helping Papa cut the cake, the Aussie tradition. When I told the Aussies about the American tradition of letting the 1 year loose on his/her OWN cake, they weren't impressed ;-))) I have to say letting my 1 year old have that much sugar doesn't impress me either, already a strict mum ;-))...although there was one more birthday celebration in America, on Thanksgiving, where a cake was sprung on me and this boy was given his American right of passage ;-)...watch this space

Completely exhausted by this stage with eyes glazed over

Andrew and his son, Ben

Uni mate, Anthony and his little one in the pink, Grace, who gave Francesco her favourite teddy bear, so sweet!

Joe and Craig


Dam, John and Michelle



Nonna and her 'sausage'


Lovely friends


My Mummas!
Amy, Victoria and Amanda
Poor Kate got very ill on the day ;-(


Best of friends
Ava, Frankie and Sebby

CELEBRATION AT NONNA'S

Aunty Marisa



We call this the 'Ava' pose because his little mate, Ava, did this position from a very young age ;-)
It is so amazing how they influence each other so young




Bushi and Francesco


Nonna's yummy low-sugar cake
Thank you Nonna


There can't be a birthday party without drama! And in Francesco-style...he is smiling seconds later ;-))




We decided to open all presents from our parties on the big day, at Nonna's house. Here is a beautiful puzzle form Ros and Craig. Do you think we have given him a challenge with a name as long as this ;-0



He received several books as gifts and he continues to 'read' them over and over again. Francesco only sits still if there are books. He absolutely gets engrossed in them. Otherwise he is a hundred miles per hour...thank goodness for books!