Grammies 75th Birthday

My Grandma turned 75 on September 9th!

Happy Birthday Grammie!

Grandpa, Lala Lisa & Uncle Greg planned an awesome intimate SURPRISE party at Piatti's in Danville. It was perfect. So fun to be able to surprise such a wonderful woman. My Grammie and I are so close. I cherish our friendship/relationship so much. I don't even know what I am going to do with myself when the time comes that she is gone. Seriously. Eyes water just thinking about it....

she said she saw bri first... i guess i know where i stand... lol

colton & gigi

 love me my vienna... never disappoint! i was in charge of the cake!

 gramps, dad, uncle greg & grammie

Our Family! 

 wish this came out better... sad face...

 

I don't know why but I just LOVE this picture! 

Missing Kevie! 

We talk often... about everything....I think because my grandma had two boys (dad & uncle greg) and I am the first and ONLY granddaughter on that side... we definitely have something special....We have a mother-daughter relationship....She is one of the first perople I call when I have good news to share.....And always there to listen when I need to vent ~ typically following a "losh la sta" translated into english sounding like "la sha sta".....She is wonderful caring person with lots of opinions, haha, that sometimes make me laugh and sometimes not....She is a beautiful woman that loves her children with all her heart (da loves um only said to dad & uncle).....Us grandkids & great grandkids are her first topic of conversation to all her bridge buddies. i know b/c when ever I run into them they seen to know more about me than I do.....We both share a passion for cooking, not so much baking because both of us don't care for measuring {although I have to admit I enjoy baking more now}....We love to talk about what dinners we put on the tables for our husbands and how to be creative with the same old boring ingredients...We talk about the good ole days and how she started life with 2 folding chairs in her house (and i didn't)...I love to ask her to tell me stories about her childhood and our Italy family...We love to call for no reason at all....We love to share everything on our minds... it is wonderful!


I LOVE YOU GRAMMIE! YOU MEAN THE WORLD TO ME! I DONT THINK ILL EVER HAVE THE WORDS TO EXPRESS IT! XOXO OGD {only granddaughter}

Ashlyn's {zzzzzz....SLEEP....zzzzzz} Chart

So this is our new exciting addition of art to Ashlyn's room. 

Since we have moved in with Eric's parents we have had a few adjustments. Sleeping became a big problem. Ash wants/wanted us to lay in bed with her {EVERY} night. So I decided that this can not happen any more... hence the CHART! 

I truly believe we would be doing this chart no matter where we lived but since we moved out of our house the kids have had a lot to adjust to. We feel so fortunate to have this opportunity to save money while getting ready to purchase our new home... more news on this soon I hope...and actually I have loved every minute. I love seeing the kids with grandparents everyday. I love seeing the joy in Grandma's eyes when Ashlyn jumps into her bed. Or the smile on Papa's face when Ashlyn runs outside screaming "papa papa"when he comes home from football practice. 

I know this time will end soon but I will NEVER forget it! We are so THANKFUL & BLESSED!!!! 

xoxoxo

Two more nights laying alone in her bed and I guess we are of to Chuck E. Cheese.... 

Pumpkin Pancakes... Pumpkin Everything

Sunday Morning {september 26th} 

We decided it was time to break out our PUMPKIN recipes! Yummo! 

When the word pumpkin gets said in this family we all jump for joy! 

Ashlyn was under the weather but enjoyed herself for a few minutes... Colton was jealous that he couldn't help but we put him on the counter anyway. We hope we instill our love for cooking and pass on some of these traditions to our children. 

Pumpkin Pancakes

1 1/4 c. Buttermilk

2 Eggs

4 1/2 Tbs. Canned Pumpkin

1/4 c. White Sugar

2 Tbs. Brown Sugar

1 Tbs. Vanilla

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 1/4 c. Flour

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

1/4 tsp. All Spice

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

1/8 tsp. Ground Clove

*Mix in Separate Bowls then combine. Be sure not to over stir. 

*ENJOY! YUMMO! 

Ashlyn's Art

all these posts about coltons birthday lately and really more to come... so i thought i would share some of ashlyns projects from preschool.... reminder this is my journal to keep forever so if i include some art i am sure to never loose it! like my plan... still planning on making a photo-book of all her artwork at the end of the year... i love everything that comes home but the open-ended projects are my favorite...

i feel so fortunate to have ashlyn with me everyday while im working. i am seriously the luckiest mommy (and once colt can come too... even better) i love the experiences she has interacting with other children, the fact that she is potty trained (100% at school ~even during nap & about 90% while at home ~ but wets during a nap at home??), her language skills, but most of all whenever {i want to} i just peek into her classroom to steal a hug or a kiss... i know there will be a day when she will not want that but i am sure enjoying & loving it now!!! 

gosh after looking at these pictures i think i need to do a better job at making sure the paper is flat and i have good lighting... these are not that great.. ill make sure my next one are : ) 

Colton's 1st Birthday Party ~~ Sept. 12th

 We had Colton's FIRST Birthday party at my mom's preschool, Little Mud Puddles!Why have we not done parties there before? Everyone kept asking... it was perfect... well almost cause my Pony never showed up... I am still a little annoyed with the situation but I promised myself that I would not dwell on the negative...It truly was a BLAST! I am so Happy... one of the best parties I have put together!

Becasue we are on a budget I had such a great time making almost all of the decorations, games, and favors... except the pinata of course...

vienna bakery...yummo! I love designing the cakes! one of my favorite parts of the party! 

can you believe the size of his personal cake? it was accidently made twice as large as it was supposed to be...I loved it! and so did Colton check below! 

Miss Debi made these awesome tee-pee's and we borrowed them for our COWBOY party! 

Love this pic... Daddy, Mommy and the Birthday Boy

kiddies have a blast on the jump house/slide combo!

Where's Colton? Under Papa Wally's Hat!

Allie was home this weekend for the Cal game... we stole her on Sunday for a little bit... I miss my cousin... so glad she comes home a lot...

ryder taking a nap on the grass in the middle of the party & gavin & madison greeting each other

KID Group PICTURE...

Crazy but this is a traditional picture I want to take at each of the kids birthday parties! 

missing...Zachary (didn't want to be in it), Anika (not sure where), Ryder (sleeping) and Max (sleeping)

playtime on the playground~

Pinata time.... Colton loved it once he got waht to do... well kind of~

the kids did not crack the pinata ~ so uncle ross did the honors!

only family pic of the day... out of 5 taken in a row right here... none with all 4 looking... i need to start taking a few posed shots just before the party starts! 

....happy birthday to you...

go for it buddy!                                           sister joining in!

like the football/baseball lines under his eyes... thanks Grandpa!

the greats! 

my kids are so lucky to have this many great grandparents!

grandpa pushing colton on his new favorite toy! 

thanks zach & alexsis! 

last pic taken... just after his bath in the sink... all clean 

Thank you so much for all our friends and family that made it out for Colton's party. It meant so much to us. This was a difficult year since we don't have our own home and everyone made it so special! I love my Family & Friends! 

xoxo