Project Playground!

We have been considering getting a playground in our backyard for a while now.  But wow, are they expensive!  So after weeks of looking, we finally found one that looked like a good deal on craigslist.  It was in Titusville, so between Paul and my Dad they took it apart and transported it to our house.  The boys were sooo excited – but it would take a little time to get everything up and going.

Paul replaced the main posts and bottom of the structure.  The day he was ready to assemble his dad and Corey came over – it was not a 1 or 2 person job!!

The boys in the tree house while the walls and roof go up!

The twisty slide goes up!  This slide alone costs more than double what we paid for the swing set!

The big boys faces the first time they went down the slide. =)

Wow – so excited!

Luca had fun watching.

Daddy was still hard at work on the finishing touches to the club house.  The swing set part was next.

Finally the swing set portion was done and Paul started hanging up the swings.  The big boys were napping or I’m sure they would have been dying to get on.

Ah, ha!!!! Done!  Lots of hard work by Paul and the rest of our family.  We couldn’t wait to show the kids!

Luca got to be the first swing tester.  And it was his first time in a swing too.  He liked it!

Luca swinging for the first time.

When the boys woke up – it was straight to the swings!  They love their new swing set and club house.  Good job, Daddy!  I’m sure the kids will enjoy playing here for many years!

Mami’s Birthday

My Titi Monica and Angelica gave me a wonderful birthday gift – we went to stay at their timeshare property in Orlando for the weekend.  Here’s the highlights.  The kids loved the activity center (and thank goodness for the activity center since it rained all weekend) and made sand art.

We went swimming as soon as we got there – and good thing because it was the only swimming we were able to do!

Mami playing Wii Dance and Sebastian and Matteo in the bottom corner there doing it too. It was hilarious.

My birthday dinner.

My sweet husband made me a yummy pasta, shrimp and veggie dish!

And he also got me the most awesome birthday gift – a Kindle Fire!!!! (This actually arrived the month after my birthday bc it was not released yet in October.)  I’ve had it for almost a week now and I love it!  I am reading for fun again and it can do all sorts of nifty things! 

I am so, so blessed.  I love my family.

With my boys.

Lelo and Lita with the grandsons!  And there will be one more boy in the picture in January!  So many boys!

I love baby wearing.  And Lelo decided to give it a shot too. =)

On my actual birthday, Sebastian had his first ever field trip so it was fun to get to do that with him (more later on that).  We also went to Target for a few things and as we passed the flowers he said, “Mami, today is your birthday so we need to buy you some flowers.”  I melted!  I let him pick some out and he chose the most beautiful bouquet of giant sunflowers!  I loved it!

The gorgeous flowers decorated my kitchen for almost two weeks!

That night I had a mini cake that the boys decorated for me.

And we sang.  =)  Enjoy the video.

Random October Fun

We spent the morning at the airport with my Dad the weekend that Paul was on a Men’s Retreat at church.  Sebastian actually wanted to go down the taxiway in the airplane, so off he went!

Luca hangs out in the highchair while I fold laundry or clean the floors.  And his brother’s have fun putting hats on him.  Luckily he’s usually a good sport.

He’s starting to like his tummy much more now and is trying to get places already!!! Eks!

I found him about 5 feet away from his blanket I put him on for playtime.  He was whining because he wedged his legs under his changing table.  Oh boy…things are going to be changing around our house soon!

Sebastian has a special morning with Daddy during “Donuts with Dad” at school.

The boys celebrated Uncle Corey’s birthday.  And happy birthday to Aunt Kim and Uncle Jeff too!  So many October birthdays!

Anyone remember these?  Shrinky-dinks!  That you color and put in the oven so they shrink?!?!  I used to LOVE them.  Uncle Corey gave some to Sebastian and we had lots of fun.

The shark is shrinking!

Just an afternoon doing some projects…

Part of Sebastian’s space station.

Love this picture!

Bad picture of Mami, but cute picture of Luca.  We have mastered the back carry in the Maya and we both LOVE it.  Has made many things much easier lately!

A couple of videos too….

Late night chats with Luca.

Sebastian’s first joke.  Okay, so I don’t think he really understands what a joke is yet, but it was still cute. =)

Michigan–Part 2

Campfire!

Luca’s first fire.

Sebastian had to make everyone a marshmallow.

Going on a nighttime bug hunt. =)

On Sunday after the wedding, we had some professional family pictures done of everyone.  I took a bunch of pictures myself too since we were all looking nice.  It was a perfect afternoon too.

These below are from the photographers.

There’s a ton more, but those are some of my favorites.  =)

It was a wonderful trip and we loved seeing all of the family.  Hopefully we will be back next summer!