Makenzie plays "Silent Night"

Makenzie plays the hermonica every sunday in Poppy's sunday school class!

Victoria sings "Santa Claus is coming to Town"

Victoria is the next American Idol!!

Francesco and Jack play Basketball

What a ham!

Christmas Day!

Nonno & Chech wear their blinking noses.















Francesco loved his basketball hoop and the box!
























Makenzie was soooo happy to get her very own DS!

Marcello, Francesco and Nonna. Marcello made us all a big Christmas breakfast.

What's Christmas day with out football?! The boys played football in the backyard at Kathy and Jon's while dinner was prepared.

Day After Christmas

We are spoiled with 80 degree weather. Marcello's parents have been down from Michigan since Thanksgiving. They tease the family up there with pictures of us on the beach weekly!

Christmas Eve!

While I am waiting for the kids to get tired enough for bed - it's hard to go to sleep when Santa is on his way, I thought I would post a couple of pictures from tonight at church, Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. I know the pictures are small but if you click on a picture it will enlarge. I do a good job of hiding my belly in pictures and some of you were disappointed to not be able to see it in our Christmas cards so when we got home Marcello and I took one just for you (with Makayla, too)!

AWANA Christmas Party!

Francesco & Alexiss

Makenzie & Emma

Victoria waits patiently to open her gift!

Makenzie got what she wished for - a 4th grade workbook! She told me later she was sooo excited because she was, "so grateful!"

Franceso tore into his wrapping paper as fast as he could! He got an addition to his Hotwheel track and an Enzo Ferrari.

Victoria loved her doll . . . put would have prefered to take home the real baby that was at the party.

Buscemi's

Here are a few updated pictures of the fam. It's been a while since I have posted pics. Sorry!

It's a Girl!

The pencil test was right (as if I should have ever doubted it!) The kids went with me and Suess to my ultra sound and confirmed it was a girl. They thought it was pretty neat althoug I think Makenzie expected it to be in color and Francesco lost interest when the doc said it was a girl! I still love seeing the heart beat the best. It's so amazing! Although I ate a piece of candy before I went she was only moving her hands a bit. She has her days and nights mixed up. i feel her moving at about 9-11pm when I'm doing my homework. The only picture the doc gave me was a butt shot -confirming it was a girl!

Baby Names

Girl names are proving harder to pick than boy names. For a boy we have decided on Giuseppe (I think), we just have to pick a middle name. For a girl we have the middle name, Marie, but we can't agree on a first name. I like 1. Kayleigh 2. Giana 3. Julia 4. Guiliana 5. Michaela And Marcello likes 1. Chella 2. Baily. 3. Bianca 4. Isabella (in no particular order). Since I don't like the names on his list and he can't stand half the names on my list we are looking for suggestions. I am waiting for all my pregnant friends to divulge the names on their girls list so I can snag one. I have had bad dreams that I am one of those mothers who can't leave the hospital till they name their baby. I always wondered how they went nine months and still had no name picked out, now I fear I will be one of them. If we could get a couple of names then atleast I could go into the hospital and do Enie-Meanie-Minie-Moe. My girlfriend Debbie bought me a book of 100,000+ baby names so there may be hope. In the mean time I need all the suggestions I can get!
......by the way I have been feeling the baby move for the past four or five nights! It's so cool, I love being pregnant! I am through the sickness phase and I'm now at the cute pregnant stage where people kind of give a double take before asking if I'm expecting... this is the stage right before the ENOURMOUS phase where I look like I'm going to have triplets. I gained 60lbs with Kenzie and 56lbs with Chech, so yes I do mean ...enourmous!!

Heart Beat!

The kids went with me to my dr's appiontment last week. Makenzie held my hand while the nurse took my blood pressure (she hates that thing). And she held my hand while the nurse put the cold gel and microphone on my belly so we could hear the heart beat. Makenzie says it sounded like a steam locamotive. Francesco was less interested; he wanted to know what was in the biohazard trash can, what the long q-tips and other unmentionables on the table were used for, and although grossed out that mommy had to tinkle in a cup he still wanted to see it. My children will never look at a dixie cup the same way again! I go back in 2 weeks for another ultrasound-the kids are coming along but Marcello will have to miss this one because he'll be working. Hopefully, we'll find out if it's a girl or a boy this time.

Call Me Crazy!

I am in the middle of my mid-term exams for the fall and I just signed up for 4 more classes in the spring! The baby will be due a week before finals! And one of my courses next semester is my first 50 hours of field experience which I hope to complete before the baby comes. I am feeling overwelmed with everything going on between work, the kids, school, and being the director of Sparks (k-2nd grade) at our church. I will not be taking any classes over the summer as I think I'll be in desperate need of a break. Wish me luck...I know I'm crazy... but that's what happens when I'm surrounded by other empowering women... if they can do it, I can do it (x3)!!

Trick-or-Treat!

The Kids had a blast Trick-or-Treating! Makenzie broke away from her "job" of passing out candy to the over 1,500 kids that came by, long enough to go around two blocks herself. Francesco was Alvin, Makenzie was Simon, and mommy's belly was Theodore. Makenzie's glasses were cool they lit up blue but she turned them off for the pictures. Marcello of course was Sponge Bob. The kids go crazy every year and they all want their picture taken with Sponge Bob!

My 30th Birthday!

Well Marcello did it - he pulled off a surprise birthday for my 30th birthday! I had absolutely no idea. I was so proud of him~ thanks again babe! He took me out for a nice dinner, just the two of us. Then he had Jon call to invite us over for a Halloween get together. Everyone hid their cars in the backyard so I had no idea that there was a house full of people. It was a very memorable 30th for me! Although not all the friends he invited were able to come I was surprised by the different people he thought of to invite - and I of course was even more surprised by those who were there. I'll have to check Suess's camera and see what pictures she took - I'll post them ASAP!

Francesco's Baptism

Francesco had decided to be baptized a couple of months ago and today was the big day. This is the only picture I got just before we went under. I had a video camera in one hand and the camera in the other. Marcello got there just in time to see him be baptized - Francesco left his backpack with his change of clothes at the house, so it was daddy to the rescue. I had just gone in the backroom to tell them we'd have to post pone this till next time- there was No Way I was going to let Marcello miss this moment. He got there just in the nick of time. Six people were baptized and one guy went forward at the end of the service for salvation. It was a tearful morning for this pregnant mama!
When Marcello asked Makenzie when she was going to be baptized she responded that she needed to wear her ear pluggs and goggles. I can picture her up there with her goggles -whenever she's ready.

Later that afternoon Francesco raced for the first time in the six year old division. He placed 3rd, 2nd, 3rd! Those boys are tough-but Francesco will overtake them in time. Marcello got 3- 3rd places. He missed 2nd place in the last race by about 2inches. It was an exciting race! Marcello was in motto 16 and Francesco was in motto 17 so there was no time for Marcello to race and then get to the top of the starting hill to hold Francesco's back tire at the gate. So I had to Climb the hill 3 times to do it - I think I was more exhausted then they were racing!

Pumkin Festival!

Jon, Kathy and I took the kids to Hunsader Farm this weekend. The day was so beautiful. The weather was cool in the morning and warm in the afternoon. We spent about five hours there. The kids enjoyed pony rides, slides, tractor train rides, roasted corn on the cob, and more. The kids had a blast picking out there pumkins. They are excited for Halloween to be here soon!

Francesco's 6th Birthday!

Francesco's party was fun. We had a slip-n-slide, a big water slide, and pool party. They bobbed for apples and ate candy apples. Francesco decorated his own cake and painted boxes for the car races. He had a blast!

Sonogram Pictures

This is a video of the pictures from today's sonogram. Marcello and I were both surprised to hear the doctor say he thinks it's a boy. The pencil test has never been wrong. The baby would only show us his back and then a side view. I'll wait to buy anymore baby girl outfits until we get a better view. Now we'll have to start thinking of possible boy names. The camera shut off before Marcello could respond to my question about boy names, but the ideas I got were

Don Chicho and Don Sabitino, as if I'm going to give birth to the next "Godfather". It has been hard enough to agree on a girl's name, Marcello wants Chella so he can call her "Chella Bella" and the kids agree with me on Kayleigh. We'll see!

Suprise-I'm pregnant!

We just found out last weekend that I am pregnant! I had to wait for G.G. to come over and tell her in person before posting it on my blog. Just a guess, baby will be due beginning of May. The "pencil test" says girl- boy-girl so based on this scientific method I am expecting a girl. We'll have to wait and see in a few more months at the doctor's. It's exciting- the kids are over joyed- Marcello is over wellmed. We're all excited and can't wait.

First days of school

Francesco's first day of kindergarten was today. He was excited to see all the kids and to find out if some of his friends from last year were in his class. He exclaimed as soon as I picked him up that his teacher is not only having 1 baby soon but 4 -"So they'll all be the same. They'll all be twins!!" He is so cute!

Makenzie's first day of school was yesterday -(it was suppose to be the day before but because of the tropical storm the open house and first day of school were cancelled). Because open house was cancelled the school was a zoo the first morning with every parent walking their child to find their class, and in addition the kids were all a little more nervous. Makenzie loves, loves, loves her teacher. She thinks she is "sooo funny!" She had a good first day and an even better 2nd day. Nothing could make me happier! We are still praying for a special friend!

Orlando

We had such a great time in Orlando! It was relaxing and fun-just what we needed before school starts again!
Marcello and kids in one of the pools at the resort!

Bike riding was suppose to be a leisurely activity, but Marcello turned it into a race. I had to zoom in on these guys because we were so far ahead!! We all laughed so hard! The kids had a blast!
Francesco wearing Poppy's hat.
Francesco & the killer whale on the boat docks.

I made the 3 Thomas enthusiasts Thomas quilts for the trip. They loved them -especially Victoria.

Uncle Jon took Francesco fishing in the rain. It only drizzled and then quickly cleared up. We caught 2 bass total for the day.
This is my favorite picture!

Victoria chasing th ducks.

Good -bye Orlando -till next year! Mimi, Francesco, Poppy, and Makenzie.