Here we go again...

Another year of school has approached. Mia is in the 8th grade, and Ashlee in 4th. Ashlee has just started a new school, Madera Elementary in Simi Valley, and Mia is still at Cornerstone here in Camarillo. I started homeschooling the boys this year too, so this is going to be one Crazy year!! I am very excited about all these new openings though. As for my personal growth, I'm training for my first full marathon, Oct. 17th, in Long Beach, CA. I have an awesome running partner, Mollie, and a very supportive family! We've achieved 22 miles thus far. Amazing what you can train your body to do, and speaking of which... Gio is now potty trained!! Way to go my lil big man!! Mama is so proud of you!!

I never knew that life as a SAHM could be so busy. When I first agreed to it when we found out we were pregnant with baby #3, I thought I'd be so bored. Little did I know that it was the complete opposite! My days are consumed with playdates, soccer practices, text books, dr.'s appointments, chauffering, being a maid, and everything else you can think of. Don't get me wrong, I love being the one to actually raise my children, but wow, life seemed so much easier when I was a working mama and wife! LOL.

I am excited to see what this upcoming year has for us. Mia is going to be on the East Coast for her 14th Birthday. Her school is taking a Historics Trip to D.C., NY, and Philadelphia. HOW FUN!! I am hoping to be able to go with her, but leaving 4 other kids at home with just dad is a little worrisome to me. Well, I guess time will tell and we'll see what happens!!

Wow, is it really almost summer?

Today I attended a play that my 9 yr old had at school today. before the play they announced the last day to take a test for reading counts is May 19th.. Um, that's just around the corner. where has time gone? I guess to sum up the past 6 months I would have to say CrAzY!! Mia turned 13 this year, Mikey is turning 4 and Gio 3. Ashlee just had her 9th bday, and Cristiano is 6 mos already. I am loving my life as a S.A.H.M., but have really been focusing on what it is that the Lord really wants me to do. Frankie and I have decided to homeschool next year. I am excited, and nervous. Not that I didn't have enough on my plate, but we really feel that we are truly the only ones who care enough about our children's education. Also, selfishly, I love having them home with me!! :) Cristiano is going through a bit of an obstacle gaining weight, and he has been diagnosed with having Acid Reflux. Poor lil man, has gone through so many different types of formula in his first 6 mos of life, it's ridiculous. But he's such a happy boy!! We are so excited to see what the rest of this year brings.

Mikey's first Field trip

This has been a rough week. I ended up in Urgent care on Sunday to find I had strep throat, and then developed a cold on Monday night and thought OMG.. I am on my last week of this pregnancy, (which I can't believe has gone by so fast) and I Need to have my energy to deliver him! Well the good thing is the antibiotics helped the strep and the prayers of all my friends and family have helped me conquer this cold. I just kept telling the Lord, please take this sickness, and please don't let me go into labor before Thursday afternoon. Well here I sit on Thursday afternoon, still pregnant, and as much as I thought I'd never say it, I am so thankful I am. Michael had his first preschool field trip today to McGrath Pumpkin Patch in Ventura, CA. And as every mom can relate, I in no way wanted to miss out on my little boy's first field trip. Frankie, Giovanni and I, picked up Mikey from school and drove him to the pumpkin patch where we met up with his class. Mikey wasn't too interested in the lesson they gave about how everything was grown, probably b/c we already have a garden growing and Mikey is an expert, or could be the age. (ha ha). But he was sure excited to go on the hay ride! He asked questions the entire time! After the hay ride, his teacher took a family photo of us next to the pumpkins, and then the boys went off to to pick out there pumpkin. After the field trip Frankie, Gio and I took Mikey back to school and sat out on the big soccer field with him and his class for a picnic. It was such an amazing feeling to share this moment with our 3 year old because I know how quickly they grow and I know how much it meant to him to have us there sharing that moment with him. I am so truly blessed to be a stay at home mom, and Frankie is blessed to be able to set his own hours. It's time like these that I feel so overjoyed with the Lord's grace and faithfulness!! We truly serve an awesome God!

Where has time gone?

Wow, I can't believe it's been since June that I've updated my poor family blog. Although I do have to say the summer went by quickly. We had a lot going on. In August I ended up in the hospital with preterm labor. They gave me a shot, and some medication and sent me on my merry way, well, the nurse did inform us that it would probably affect the actual date of when this baby came, and so far, she's right! I am 39 weeks pregnant (as of Sunday) and am only having contractions that are not consistent. This will be the first pregnancy that I have carried the child full term! (If I go until the 12th). Mia was a day early, Ashlee was 7 days early, Mikey was 16 days early, and Giovanni was 12 days early. I trust that the Lord has a reason, and am just wanting His will to be done! The kiddies have started a new school year, Mia is in 7th grade and is overloaded with homework, which of course daddy and I don't mind. Ashlee is in 3rd grade and really likes her teacher. Mikey started preschool this year too, (Oh and the three of them attend the same school. It's a Christian school that goes from Preschool - 12th grade). Frankie and I have seen a huge difference in Mikey's demeanor since he has started school. He's definitely growing right before our eyes, but we are very proud of the little boy he is becoming. His teacher, Mrs. Gonzales, says he is such a pleasure, always polite, and very cautious of others around him. (I wonder if she is really talking about our son, or if she just says that to every parent). :) Needless to say we are very excited to hear he is adapting to the whole school thing very well. (Daddy wasn't very fond of going to school at that age). Daddy has been taking him to school this past week for me since I am sick, and ready to have Cristiano, but I can't wait to get back to taking him. We have great conversations on the way to. Giovanni is enjoying the along Mommy and me time, but is definitely excited when it's time for Mikey to come home. He is always the first to run to Mikey when we get inside his classroom. A lot of times Giovanni will even grab Mikey's backpack for him! As of now, we are all just anxiously awaiting for the arrival of our new son, Cristiano Gianni.

LEGOLAND

Our family braved our first trip ever to a theme park with the boys yesterday, to Legoland, in Carlsbad, Ca.  Being I was 21 weeks pregnant, I was a little nervous about going, only because I know how active our boys are, and knew it was going to be a WILD adventure. Don't get me wrong, I was excited to go and spend that time with my family, just wasn't sure how the day would pan out. All in all, I am so glad we BRAVED the trip! The boys were so excited to see the many statues that were made out of Lego's, and to go on some rides. Giovanni only got to ride on one ride, that was a boat cruise, but the look on his face was absolutely priceless! Mikey was more fortunate, and was able to ride on the rides with his daddy, and his two sissy's. It was a good thing I was pregnant and could not ride the rides, Gio needed a "pal" to hang out with!. :) 

After almost every ride Mikey would go on, he would run back to me, and yell Mama and then he would try to describe what he did on the ride, but he was so excited, and would speak so fast, I could not understand him. It was so cute! 

After Legoland, we stayed at the Courtyard Marriott just a few miles away. We had purchased a big block of Lego's for the boys, and when we got to the room after dinner, the boys played for about an hour with them, TOGETHER!! So cute!!  

The boys did great, and of course the girls had a great time. We are definitely looking forward to going back to Carlsbad for the weekend of Father's Day, but this time we are going to check out the Sea Life Aquarium! I think the boys will definitely love that!! 

We are having a...

We went in yesterday morning for our BIG ultrasound. Frankie and I had been torn for a while with whether or not we were going to find out. But being the impatient woman I am, I was really wanting to find out.  As we were walking in, I asked him again what he thought we were having, and he said "boy".. I asked if he was ready to find out, he said "if it's a girl, yes, and if it's a boy, I'd rather wait to be surprised in the end". But we all know that's completely impossible. As the lady called us back we got up and walked into the room. Frankie stood by my feet and watched the screen as the lady started to do her job. Frankie and I, being the out going socialists that we are, started talking and joking around with her. (she wasn't the friendliest of friendly, but ended up being ok). She had asked if we wanted to have the 3-D picture, and I said jokingly, if it's a girl, yes, and if it's a boy no. She looked at me in a peculiar way, and I said I was joking and that we would buy the picture. She continued on and then asked again, "did you want the picture of him"? I said in a very loud voice "you said boy, oh my gosh, is it a boy "? She gave me a look that was beyond explanation, and said " yes, it is". I started to cry. I wasn't sure if I was crying just because this whole time I thought we were for sure having a girl,  (The heartbeat was always in the 160's, and I just had an intuition) or if it was the way we were told we were having a boy. I got home and still was in disbelief. I did pray and found great comfort in the Lord and just thought how blessed Frankie and I are that we are expecting a new addition to our ever growing family.  We didn't have a name for this little guy, but I think after looking online last night, and sleeping on it we have decided to name our new little man Cristiano Gianni. Cristiano means follower of Christ, and we felt that to be so wonderful, and Gianni means God is gracious, and that is so true! God truly is an AWESOME God!! 

Easter and Mia's Birthday

Frankie and I 
Mikey looking for eggs 
Counting eggs 
Our little Gio
This Easter was a special Easter. It was Mia's 12th Birthday. The last time her birthday fell on Easter was Sunday was April 12, 1998. (Her 1st Bday). We started the weekend off by taking the kiddies to the Camarillo Eggstravaganza. After that we headed over to a friend's house for a bbq. Sunday morning, the boys, of course, woke us up around 6am, and were very excited to see their Easter baskets. Although they had no idea what was going on, it was so fun to see the look on their face when they saw the books and dvd in their basket. (I did give them a candy or two). After we got settled we headed off to church, where our Pastor, Francis Chan, gave an amazing service!  The Lord has definitely blessed Frankie and I with an amazing church!  We then headed to Raerah's house, where the boys and their cousins Nicholas and Anthony did an Easter egg hunt. Giovanni had no idea what he was looking for at first, but he definitely got the hang of it! AFter the hunt, we headed over to La Canada, where my cousin lives and had a blast! My family is so full of love, and Faith! God bless them! The boys played with their 4th cousin, Angelo, and Frankie and I got to catch up with my family. Having a big family is so amazing, and I cannot wait until the boys are older, and will truly get to see how blessed they are!