Porto di Mola Saturday

Porto di Mola had been on my "must go back to" list for a few years.  Saturday was the perfect day for lunch and wine tasting

Emma, Zane, and Camden having some snacks before our tour

 

Love this almost 14 year-old of mine!

 Between every lunch course, Camden played on this little swing

 Beautiful Emma

 Ron, Sherri, Tony, Zane, and Lamar

Flashback to our last trip to Porto di Mola in 2015

2018 trip

I am so happy Zane captured this moment of laughter with my favorite people in the universe!

Selfie with the whole gang

 Sherri and Lamar

 The K kids loading up our wine

 We are sure going to miss Zane when he heads back to his final semester at Jacksonville University!

Let's drink some more wine!

Celebrating a Very Merry Christmas 2018

Last Sunday afternoon we were on a mission to bake cookies. We usually half Granny's recipe, but this year the kids decided to do the full recipe.  They cutout and decorated over 50 delicious cookies!

The 3rd Annual Christmas Eve Day showing of It's a Wonderful Life

Emma made our Christmas Eve traditional dinner

Handsome Camden and his shout out to Grandpa's hometown

Opening their new Christmas pajamas

All dressed up for Mass

Blessed beyond words!

Camden served his first Christmas Eve Mass

Lighting the Advent Candles

For unto us, a child is born

Back home after Mass for some laughs with Tim, Lori, Cole, and Bailey on FaceTime

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

Herky decided he needed to be right there to listen to the story!

My Christmas morning kiddos!

Family picture Christmas afternoon at the Z's house

 Emma, Ron, and Chris surrounding the spread of my favorite Midwest holiday appetizers

Camden, Zane, and Emma

 Cheers to Chris and Ron

 Zane, Tony, and Sherri helping Emma and Camden with their Ancient Egypt Escape Room

This little angel celebrated her first Christmas! 

Sweet Francesca playing with her new toys

 Emma helping Gabriella with her new Barbie car

Mamas and their greatest blessings:

Madds, me, Sherri

Gabriella, Emma, Francesca, Camden, Zachary, and Zane

 The awesome dads (Dave, Chris, and Ron) with their greatest blessings!

Winter Break 2018 Adventures

We are enjoying our Winter Break from school with some lazy days at home and fun day trips.

Tuesday we went to Montevirgine with the Oropallos.  It is a gorgeous church at the top of a mountain.  We attended Mass in this stunning chapel

Maria and me in the church courtyard

Giovanni, Emma, Camden, and Antonia posed for one photo op. It was so cold and windy up on that mountain!

We went back down the mountain to find some lunch
Camden, Giovanni, and Emma

We found the best tratoria and feasted for lunch!

Wednesday we went to Rome in honor of our 18th Engagement Anniversary
This year's Nativity in St. Peter's square is a sand sculpture.  It is incredible!

The Holy Family

Emma, Chris, and Camden in front of the Nativity

2000 

2018

What a beautiful day in the Eternal City!

Walking to St. Peter's Cathedral

I am in awe every time I visit!

Just outside the square

Pantheon