A Very Merry Christmas 2017

We celebrated Christmas Eve with the 4th Sunday of Advent Mass, watching It's a Wonderful Life on the big screen, and then Christmas Eve Mass

Emma singing in the choir

Listening to Twas the Night Before Christmas 

Leaving milk & cookies for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph

Flash forward 7 hours and we have 2 excited kids ready to come downstairs

Santa brought them Hawkeye Snuggies

We were so happy that Mel was with us on Christmas morning!

Opening gifts

Christmas family picture

A fun game of Tenzie

Silly Camden Santa

Harley and Zane

Playing Star Wars Clue

Sherri, Ron, me, Chris, Mel, Madds, and Dave

LOVE these ladies!

Winter Break Fun

TWO GLORIOUS WEEKS OF VACATION! We didn't have any big travel plans over winter break and it has been perfect.
Dinners out with friends, hosting dinner parties, lazy days cuddled up with a book, pajama movie days, and a whole lot of hanging out and enjoying the slow pace for a while.

We did venture out to the Roman Amphitheater in Capua with Harley, Zane, and Sherri

Our engagement anniversary on the 19th 

Making Granny's Christmas Cookies

Holiday Parties

We said arrivederci to Butch and Marie on Monday and finished up the week with holiday parties galore!

Thursday was the NSA Holiday party in Pozzouli

This guy and his fancy moves won the Best Dressed Man award!

Friday we attended our first ever murder mystery party.  This Ho Ho Homicide was a blast!  

Chris and I played 2 of Santa's elves

Jangle's mug shot

Spanky's mug shot

Our hosts welcoming us to the North Pole

 Santa gives his elves and reindeer directions

I was busy collecting evidence 

Who is the murderer?!

(The guy in the middle)

Meanwhile, Emma had her first band concert. Thanks to our wonderful friends, we got to watch videos of it.

 On Saturday morning, Chris and I volunteered to be none other than Mrs. Claus and Santa at the International Spouses Club's Holiday Breakfast. 

It was so much fun!

More fun with Babi and Pops

Here are a few more highlights from Babi and Pops' time in Italy...

Camden's 1st quarter honor roll assembly

 Drive along the Amalfi Coast

Lunch in Amalfi Town

St. Peter's Square during the Pope's Wednesday Audience

 St. Angelo's Castle

The Trevi Fountain

When we returned from Tuscany, we decorated the Christmas tree

After the final soccer tournament, Emma had her first junior high dance.  

A huge thanks to Bunny for doing her hair

A picture with Babi and Pops before we left

 Chaperone Mom and DJ Dad with our favorite girl

 Caitlyn, Emma, and Madison danced the night away

Holiday Tree Lighting 2017

It's time for the Annual Holiday Tree Lighting festivities at NSA Naples!

Keller and Camden ran the Ugly Sweater 3K

 The first place kid with his proud Babi & Pops

 Chris presenting the awards for the tree decorating contest

So many excited people watching the tree light up and the snow start falling

 We are sure going to miss Heather and Ryan when they move next month! 

 Chris and Camden enjoying the dueling pianos concert

 The best Santa & Mrs. Claus

One Christmas picture we will cherish for years!