Life of a Single Mom!!!

I need to apologize first off to any of you who have e-mailed or called me and I have forgot to respond. See, what happens is I respond in my head after listening to my voice mail or e-mail and then I think I've answered the question... Apparently it doesn't work like that in the real world, but as I am on the verge of craziness, I have a valid excuse. Two Small Children and no hubby = memory loss!!!!

The kids are going crazy w/ lack of male influence right now. They went to having Tio Christian and Daddy all the time to nada! So every time we hang out at a friends house and the dad is at home, it's an all our wrestling match. Sorry for anyone that has had to endure that! Anyways, we miss having Daddy at home. Just yesterday as I was cleaning out the 1/2 roll of T.P. that Allegra dumped in the bath tub; subsequently clogging the drain, I really missed Joel. Can I tell you that picking up quickly disintegrating soggy T.P. out of the bathtub is hard and gross. I kept thinking of overflowing toilets and was dry heaving half of the time. Luckily my new BFF Drano did the rest of the trick!!! Where was I when Allegra did this might you ask, passed out on the couch! No I was helping Gianluca. Oh the things kids can do in a few short minutes.

I also had a fun weekend w/ my college roommate Karen this weekend. Her and her fam were here and we played all weekend long! It was a blast!!! I love Karen and how upbeat she is! We had a great time reminiscing!!!

Other than that, We've been playing w/ a lot of frogs lately in our yard! I guess all of the tadpoles around here grew some legs and migrated to our yard because we have TONS of frogs. I think the top amount that GL has caught is in the upper 20's in one setting. Pretty impressive if you ask me! Allegra loves them to but is afraid to touch them... Just like her mom!!!

P.S. Just wanted to add and give a big shout out to my amazing friends who are taking great care of us!!! I love you guys!






Joel we miss you!!! Come visit us soon!!!!!!!

Vernal or Bust?!!!

Well, it's happening folks. I am moving to Vernal, UT. Some may ask themselves "Where in the hell (pardon my French, I blame my cursing on my family:) is Vernal, UT???" Well it is right here...


(It's in the upper right hand corner of Utah)

And what is in Vernal?....



That's right, dinosaur land my friends, DINOSAURS!!! Well, more acurately there bones. Which create fossil fuels, which creates oil, which is why we are moving there... because we are greedy people who want to keep gas prices high and make money on it! Not really the last part, but Joel is working for Halliburton there, thanks to his best friend Allen who convinced him to interview out there..And boda-bang-boda-boom, we are moving to Vernal,actually Gianluca and I like to refer to it as Dinosaur Land. I think it's a bit more appropriate and Vernal is really an ugly name if I do say so myself.

Well, to make a long story short, Joel left last Saturday and I am playing single mom/housekeeper/yard worker/ pool boy (minus the pool and boy)????/ chauffeur/referee/ sleep deprived/ .... Did I mention we just put the house up for sale today? If you'd like to see pictures, just e-mail me. Anywho, Gianluca started preschool this week--- Whooo-Hoooooo!!! And so Allegra and I get in some quality bonding time. She is so sweet AND defiant! I don't know where she gets it! :) Anyways, I just wanted to give you the update!

And as far as me wanting to go... Well, I feel good about it. Although, I am dreading leaving my amazing friends here! I am so grateful for them! They are my family away from family! I love you guys!

Throwing-up Babies & poo hands

So it has been one crazy month! We went to Idaho to visit my family and it was a blast seeing everyone and Gianluca basically disappeared because he was always off playing w/ the cousins. I'm sorry if I didn't get to see any of you (besides family). It gets pretty complicated seeing everyone on vacations anymore unless you come see me. So hopefully in the near future (which is a high possibility because we may be moving to Vernal, UT) I'll get to see you all more often.

I just had a quick story to tell about my kiddos. Gianluca asked me the other day when my friend Kristin was going to have her baby...
G: Mom when is Miss Kristin going to have her baby?
M: Oh not for a while.
G: But mom the baby is getting bigger and her mouth is too small!!!
Me: Gianluca, do you think baby's come out of the mommy's mouth?
G: Yeah. Like, they throw them up!
M: No, they come out of the mommy's bottom.
G: (Grossed out look on his face) THEY POOP THEM OUT???!!!!(he says this while in the squating position) EEEEWW GROSS!!! Do they have poop all over them?
M: (laughing like crazy) No buddy, mommy's have another hole wear babies come out.
G: Oh. Then runs off to go play.

That saying is true, kids say the darndest things!!!!

Okay my next story is that later that day, Allegra was yelling for me to come get her after her nap. I walk in and she says, "Mama, poo poo" while patting her bum. So I pick her up to go change her diaper only to realize that both of her hands are covered w/ poop!!! I mean completely covered, no skin showing, only thick nasty poop. I'm gagging just thinking of it. So I run her to the bathtub and hose her down. Is it possible to dip kids in bleach??? J/K! So I go back to the crib and there is poop all over, including her binki!!! Gross!!! Yeah, it's a good thing mom's don't poop out there kids, because that stuff is just so nasty!!! Man, these kids!!!

When I have more time I'll update you on everything else that has been going on!!!

Big Celebration Weekend!

Red White and Blue Celebration

First off, the 4th was amazing! We had a party all day. We went to the pool, and then to block party, and then to our fireworks party. Neil and Darla Fort staked out an amazing place for us where we had a bunch of amazing food and fun. Joel wore the most ridiculous Billy Ray Cyrus red, white, and blue mullet wig. By the end of the night I was going into convulsions looking at all of that hideousness! There's a great father son mullet picture. It is pretty sad. And funny. Anyways, the fireworks were awesome! It made me feel like I was in I.F. again down on the greenbelt!

P.S. Did I mention that these pictures of Joel are still giving me nightmares? Love you honey, see I knew all of this mullet obsession would come back to get you in the end!

P.S.S. I had to put the Born to be Wild song on here. Can't you imagine Joel w/ his lovely teeth on a big Harley cruising down the highway with his mullet whipping through the wind. It's a beautiful image isn't it....?

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Allegra's B-day

This is a few day's late, but Allegra turned two on Saturday. We did a little spur of the moment b-day party at Bare Branch park. It is an amazing park w/ all sorts of things to play with. She was in hog heaven and running around like a maniac. Our friends Matt and Kristin joined us in the fun. The kids had a great time, and even the parents. It was a nice relaxing evening w/ cup cakes, who could ask for more.

Allegra is now miss independent, stubborn, feisty, and still adorable and sweet as ever. She got Care Bears and a little doll house (thanks Abu Maggie)and a few other little things. She was so happy. It is fun and sad to see her grow up so quick. We love her dearly and so glad she's a part of our family.

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Beach Blues

I admit it... I have the Beach Blues. I miss the ocean. If there were two reasons why I would move back to Tampa in a heartbeat they would be: 1)Joel's family, and 2) Clearwater Beach. My kids loved it, we love it. In fact it is a dream of ours when we strike it rich to buy a beach house there. Aaaahh to dream. But as Cinderella says, "The dream that you wish may come true". So here is a little montage of some of our pictures from the beach. Don't forget to push the pause button on my music, otherwise you won't really hear one of my favorite songs called "Walk on the Ocean" by Toad the Wet Sprocket, coincidentally one of my favorite bands of all time.

I'm also adding a few pictures of Joel's and my getaway. We were able to spend a few days at Joel's parents neighbors, dog's, cousin....condo on the beach. We thoroughly enjoyed every minute of walking on the beach, laying out at the pool, and sleeping in.... I could get used to that kind of life style. One morning Joel and I found 30 sand dollars, 3 sea urchins, two hermit crabs, and an amazing conch shell. It was all in one piece but it had a slug in it. It was like one you would spend lots of money for in the store...one of the most gorgeous things I've ever seen. But we put it back in the ocean. Just to keep it as we found it. As a side note, the sand dollars didn't count as they were dead!


Dinner at our regular anniversary spot... Armani's


The Big 8 Years!


Seriously, best food I've ever had! 5 Star Restaurant.


Our Treasures from the Sea.

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Happy Big 31 B-Day Joel/ Magic Kingdom

The Dude helped make the cake!



Hey well I like to say it's better late than never! So I'm a slacker wife, NOT! Today is Joel's b-day and I've been running around like a chicken w/ my head cut off to pull off his b-day. I first cleaned my disgusting kitchen (that I didn't feel like cleaning last night), ran to Wal-Mart to get b-day cake stuff, came home, got the kids, went to the airport to get Joel's mom, stopped at Sam's club on the way home to get his gift, came home, made his annual carrot cake (from scratch might I add), made a yummy chicken Marsala dinner w/ sparkling cider, and then we reaped the benefits of it all. I normally don't like to toot my own horn, but I must say that is one yummy moist carrot cake! I really am not a carrot cake person, but this... TAKES THE CAKE!!! Ha ha ha. It also has cream cheese frosting. What more need I say. But, I am a slacker in regards to not having done this blog earlier today. I'm sure Joel was checking the blog at work every few minutes just waiting for my profession of undying love for him on his b-day and he got... THE BEST B-DAY PARTY EVER! Okay not really, but hey he has his family here (minus Norby), a rockin b-day feast, and well he is married to yours truly! Wow, I sound conceded. It's just like what Joel McHale from The Soup says about Tyra Banks, she makes everything about herself on her show, and I am making Joel's b-day tribute about me. So let me tell you why I think Joel is the shizzzz...: (p.s. sleep deprivation makes you think you are some white guy trying to be a rapper)

1) Amazing blue eyes... seriously check them out next time you get a chance.
2) Hilarious. That is one quality about Joel that I love and hate. Never knows when to be serious when I'm mad at him!!! But we always have a good laugh.
3) Very caring
4) Genuine
5) Hard worker. Seriously he is sleep deprived (4 hrs/night(yep he's trying to kill himself) and he still goes to work at 5:30AM)
6) He's a big kid and loves to play w/ the kids (when he's not a zombie from #5)
7) Loves nature/ animals (Besides Bella, or bologna as he referred to her)
8) Big Teddy Bear and is not afraid of his softer side.
9)Has big dreams of helping other people in need.
10) Can speak 3 languages... come on that's pretty freaking awesome! Spanish (first language), English, and Italian
11) Knows a bit, or sometimes a lot about tons of things, so he can talk really to anyone.
12) A big people person. He's hard not to like.
13) Very passionate and strong willed..... AND STUBBORN!!! But, so am I.
14) Best speed walker I know.
15) I could go on and on, but really Joel is amazing. I love him. He's my BFF. I'm so happy we get to share this crazy experience called life w/ each other and our beautiful kids!

MAGIC KINGDOM

Really quickly, on our Florida trip we went to the Magic Kingdom and it was a blast! Joel's parents, abulea Hilda, Tia Marilu and cousin Maria Noel and baby Gabby came w/ us. It was so fun. Abuela was in a wheel chair, but that gave us access to all of the fast lines which really was amazing in the heat! Gianluca loved all of the rides especially Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Buzz Lightyear. Next time we go I'd love to go for a couple of days so we'd have more time. But it was a blast!!!

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