All I Want for Christmas...

Is what I already have...

Here are some of our 6 month/family Christmas card pictures (I left off the ones on the card, make sure you check your mail!)

Peppermint Plum Photography is amazing...seriously, you should try her, everyone is doing it!

Hugs, Annie, Jason and Giada



My Girl

 afternoon runs~funny food faces~silly smiles~always happy when were shopping

goofball~visiting with friends~adventures in solids

Nothing could be better than sharing my days with this girl. Well, maybe they would be better with daddy too. :)

XOXO, Annie and Giada

Giada's 1st Fresno State Football game...or not

Last weekend was the perfect day for a football game. 70 degree weather, 12:30 start time, which meant it was in between naps...perfect. So we thought. We got to the game a little late and had to park a mile away, but we were okay with it, it was free after all. We started walking and I could hear the crowd roaring, I told Jason I didn't think she was going to like it. See...our little Miss doesn't love loud noise...it's just how she is...for now. Jason shrugged me off and thought for sure she was over it and wouldn't mind the noise. In the stadium we go, down the stairs to our seat, and by the time we sat down Giada was frantic! I felt so bad for her, we couldn't get her out fast enough. It was third down thunder...then a touchdown...then the roars. You know I never really noticed how loud those games are until I am actually thinking about it and listening for it. We quickly climbed back up the stairs and out of the stadium. As soon as we were out her crying turned into sweet whimpers of relief and we headed to Doghouse to watch the game and get some lunch. Our little happy camper was back to her smiley self.  Maybe next year?

We should have got one of her in tears in the stadium!

Go Dogs! Jason, Annie and Giada

Christmas is here!

Last weekend, (the day after thanksgiving) we kept up our tradition; my tradition that I have had since I was a child and am now carrying on, we went to get our Christmas tree. We had a wonderful afternoon sipping Starbucks, searching out the perfect tree, riding the carousel and munching on some cinnamon rolls. That night we decorated our tree and Giada's little tree (it's a fakey). Confession: the rest of the house had been decorated for a week. This is my favorite time of the year...we can't wait to share the magic of Christmas with Giada Rose!

 1. My loves 2. Giada wouldn't stop licking her vest...had to capture it 3. Giada loved the carousel, she was talking the whole time 4. She is too cute!

Some of my favorite decorations in the house: 1. My scentsy advent calendar 2. My tree in the galvanized bucket 3. My island whimsy sign and fabric 4. My hot chocolate bar

1. Can't wait to take Giada to meet Santa in this number 2. Giada's foo foo tree 3. Giada's stocking is here!

4. Could be my favorite picture of the two of us...she looks like she already knows how to pose!

Merry Christmas, Annie, Jason and Giada

Celebrating Heather and Ashley's 30th!

Two Friday nights ago we celebrated Heather and Ashley's 30th birthday party at Giuseppe Gallos. It was a wonderful night out with the girls, we got to catch up on the daily happenings and reminisce on the past. I love nights out with these girls, when I first moved to Fresno these were the girls I first met. They have always made me feel like I have known them all my life, like I went to school with them, like I was there with them at every monumental moment in their lives. I love each one of them to pieces. Happy Birthday Heather and Ashley, welcome to the 30 club...finally!

Hugs, Annie

Our Little Turkey's 1st Thanksgiving!

There is always reason to be thankful. This year we are more thankful then ever before. We have been blessed with the most precious gift of all, our healthy baby girl. She made everything about this day that much better. The food was just a little more yummy, the parade a little more exciting, the company even larger and the day a lot more special. I love going to Stan and Margo's with the family for a wonderful afternoon spent eating, laughing and watching the kids play, it is what Thanksgiving is all about, family. This year I loved it even more because we had our baby girl to bring along to join in on the fun and love with her cousins. I can't wait until next year when she is running around with the rest of them! Thank you Stan and Margo for hosting, it was a wonderful Thanksgiving. Hope you all had a wonderful day spent with those you hold near and dear to your heart.

Our little turkey

 Cousin love...Giada and Hannah

 We love you so much Noni!

 Big smiles for Auntie Em

 Giada loved her cousin Nick...so sweet

 This was the best shot I got of all the kids...just missing Logan, Luke and Ethan

 Giada loves Hannah

Happy Thanksgiving, The Papi's

Dear Giada

Tomorrow you will celebrate your first Thanksgiving. We will get up in the morning and watch the Thanksgiving day parade together as a family, a tradition that will hopefully carry on for years to come. We will go over to your Great Aunt Margo and Great Uncle Stan's house to eat a wonderful Thanksgiving meal with the family. We will be thankful. So on your first Thanksgiving I wanted to write you a little letter. A letter that will not talk about me and my gratitude, even though I am the most thankful I have ever been this year because your daddy and I have you. I want to write you a letter to remember many Thanksgivings to come. I want to share something with you that I stumbled upon, something I want you to remember and something I want you to be thankful for always. It is this.

"She knew that she was formed by God's hands,

dreamed up in His heart and placed in this world

for a purpose."

Always be thankful to the Lord Giada Rose, He has made you beautiful, smart (I know this at 6 months old already), healthy, and with a PURPOSE. You are so blessed, you are perfect, you have a place in this world that belongs only to you. Always be thankful for the opportunity to wake up and touch lives, share your love for Christ, and share your God given purpose. I can't wait to see what your purpose is, I can't wait to see what God has created you to be, I already know it is beautiful. If you choose to be thankful each day, thankful for even the little things, you will be happy, and you will be successful. Promise me this, you will find something to smile about each and every day. At 6 months old you are already serving a purpose; you have brought pure joy to your daddy and I; you make us smile everyday. Whatever you decide to do, wherever life takes you, whatever your purpose is...give Thanks to the Lord often. Always remember...

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

before you were born I set you apart"

Jeremiah 1:5

He has created you in his perfect image to do big things. Be thankful and achieve all that you set out to do.

I am beyond thankful to the Lord for giving us YOU to raise and love. You have no idea.

Love you Peanut and Happy 1st Thanksgiving,

Mommy

Giada Rose is 6 months old!

It can't be true...it's been half a year since we brought our sweet little peanut home from the hospital!? These have been the best, absolute best, 6 months of our lives! It seems like yesterday I was sitting in the rocking chair in her nursery with my pregnant belly resting on my legs, daydreaming about the day she would be 6 months old. We have arrived and it is so bittersweet. Sweet, sweet, sweet because every day gets better but bitter because she is getting older and my days of getting to snuggle her all day are becoming numbered. Soon she will want to be down running all over the place, not curled up in my arms for a snuggle. Although, she is already rather active...but she will still let me steal snuggles! I am still in awe at the powerful love I feel for her, the excitement I have every morning because I get to wake her up and see her smile. We are so blessed, and so thankful for her and her love.

Giada weighs 15 lbs., 15 ounces and is 25.5 inches long. She is in the 50th percentile for weight and the 25th percentile for height. She is still wearing a size 2 diaper and a 3/6 or 6 month in clothing. She wears a size 2 in shoes...but they are still big! Her hair continues to grow and grow, in fact she had her first haircut this month!She also started taking baths in the big tub with her special bath seat, she loves them! She tried rice cereal for the first time this month as well as bananas and sweet potatoes today! She still prefers her bottle...we are working on this! She has started sitting up for extended periods of time this week, can't wait for a whole new world to open up. So excited to share our first Thanksgiving with her next week! We have so much to be grateful for.

"Come on Mom, I'm done with the pictures!"

Things WE love about month 6:

1. Your silly little giggle

2. Your bed head when you wake in the morning

3. Your talking in your crib when you first wake up in the morning

4. Bathtime!

5. Your snuggles

6. How you smile back at us

7. Your smile when you first see our face when we open the car door to get you out

8. Watching you reach out and touch your dads face while telling him all about your day when he comes home from work

Things YOU love in month 6:

1. Bathtime!!

2. When we sing to you

3. Music

4. Your mobile playmat

5. Your blankee

6. Playing with balls

7. Standing up (we have to hold you up)

8. You still love to talk...even more

9. Your mommy and daddy...always 

We love you sweet girl!

Hugs, Annie & Jason

Kirtie's Baby Shower: Celebrating Addison

A couple weeks ago we got together to celebrate sweet little Addison, due in the beginning of December. It was a wonderful brunch outside with perfect weather. The food was delicious and the company and conversations even better. Kirsten looks wonderful and is so much fun to be around. Addison is going to have so much fun with her mommy. I can't wait to meet this sweet little baby girl...not too much longer!

Hugs, Annie

Happy Halloween: Our Little Pumpkins 1st!

Last night was Giada's first Halloween! We dressed her up as a little ladybug and had all our family over to celebrate. She must have felt the excitement of the day because she did not want to take naps...30 minute naps all day long...that's it! Needless to say I knew it could be a loooong night, not to mention the fact that it made it really hard to prepare the house and food for guests...thank goodness my sister was here prepping food and my in-laws came and got the patio ready! As always, it all got done and turned out perfect. We munched on appetizers and my mom's homemade chili, while topping it all off with Frankenstein dirt cake treats that Emily made. We joined up with the Costa's and Ledger's to do a little trick or treating in our neighborhood. The kiddos were all so cute and excited, I loved to see the costumes the adults put on to pass out candy. It was a perfect first Halloween for Giada and it meant so much to celebrate it with family and good friends. Our little bug was just so cute and she knew it! Looking forward to all the years and costumes to come...



Hanging out with Mom





My mom always had Halloween treats for us growing up, a tradition I will continue with my kids...here is Giada's 1st one!




Spoiled by Grandma and Grandpa Papi...and super excited about it!




Yummy fall treats to munch on...



Emily's Frankenstein dirt cakes...so cute!

Our little ladybug!

This was great...

Her very first "trick or treat!"

Don't all the kids look happy?? Brady, McKenzie and Giada

Daddy took her to all the doors...she loved it!

Raegan was Mary Poppins...she is so cute!

My sissy

Jason and Ryan were great sports, taking the girls up to the doors to trick or treat.

Derek and Em enjoying Giada

Trick or Treat!

Heather...best friend a girl could ask for

Happy Halloween! Jason, Annie and Giada Rose