Giada's Nursery Update

With May quickly approaching we are finally turning the heat up...nursery in high gear! It is so much fun preparing and planning, visualizing, shopping, dreaming...I am loving every second! The problem is, anyone who knows me knows that I am impatient and impulsive. I want what I want and I want it now! Month long processes just don't stand a chance with me! So...now that we have REALLY started look out! We had the walls of her room painted this week and received the rug that I ordered, wow what a difference, it is already starting to shape up. I have met this amazing woman who has become a fast friend, Mandy Walter. She is the project queen...literally. She paints, refinishes furniture, makes things you would never imagine could be cute look beautiful! AMAZING, simply amazing and she is helping me with "project nursery!" She spent many hours at my house painting this past week and I am so pleased with the way it has turned out. We have a long way to go but I am beginning to see the light! This week's project...getting the blinds back up, picking out fabric for the curtains, taking the light down and putting the chandelier up! Can't wait to see what a difference just that will make. Mandy is working on refinishing a dresser for me...I will have the before and after in a later post, can't wait to see it complete! In fact, she actually has quite a few projects going for me...feeling so blessed that she landed in my life! You can visit her blog here at http://projectqueen.org/ and see how amazing she is yourself! She is also documeting the nursery so go check it out. She has before and afters of the room (I forgot to snap the before pictures). Enjoy the pictures below and stay tuned for more to come...

Shopping at PBK in the Grove for the nursery

Giada De Laurentiis's house, while in LA we visited with Jason's cousins who live down the street from her. Had to get a glimpse of her house. I will share with our Giada someday! The room from the door. Light will come down, chandelier up, blinds and curtains hung, dressers put in, walls decorated...so much to do but it is taking shape!

Her crib...fit for a princess! Love the name banner!

The cozy, comfy glider...

Visit Mandy Walter's website at http://projectqueen.org/

Hugs, Annie & J

Ringing in my 30th Birthday!

I know I am so behind in the blogging world, it's unreal and so not like me to not get things done in a timely matter! BUT, I wouldn't want to miss documenting momentous occasions that I can look back on later down the road. SO behind or not here goes nothing! I celebrated turning 30 on December 31st, it was one of those birthdays I was dreading, wanting to look past. But, now that the day is here and gone turning 30 wasn't so bad. Nothing feels different, I still think I am 21, and from this day forward when someone asks me how old I am it will always be 29. We rang in the New Year and celebrated my birthday with some of the best friends I could ever ask for. My friend Kristin organized a trip to Shaver to stay in her family cabin. I will always hold this birthday near and dear to my heart because I have not celebrated New Year's with these girls since we were 20 years old. It meant so much to have the group all together, we shared laughter, reminisced on the past and created new memories. It was a wonderful birthday and I know that I have so much to look forward to this year. So, cheers to being forever 29!

Kirtie singing "Happy Birthday"

Dave, Jason, and JamieHappy New Year!Having fun with our party favors...thanks Kris!Happy New Year from the PapisOur party favor bags from KristinHe melts my heartLove this girl with my whole heart!Friends Forever!

Love, Annie & J

And So It Begins...Giada's Nursery

Christmas is over and the New Year is amongst us. I kept telling myself as soon as Christmas is over I will begin the nursery. So here I sit, eager, anxious, overwhelmed and confused. I know what I like, I know what I want but somehow I can still go so many different ways. I have spent numerous hours on my ipad searching and sifting through images of nurseries, blogs featuring nurseries, etsy, pottery barn, you name it. With each website I visit I fall in love with something else, my mind is stirring like crazy! I just want to start! So we did. Yesterday we headed to Pleasanton to do some damage at Pottery Barn Kids and a little shopping for us of course! We spent the majority of the time in Pottery Barn Kids registering and purchasing. I am pleased to announce Giada has her first pieces of furniture; her crib, dresser, and changing tray...and oh is it sweet! I can hardly wait until it is delivered and set up, it so so girly and feminine with antique detailing, exactly what I had in mind! I fell in love with bedding, lamps, dolls, you name it so of course we left the store with some goodies in hand too! My wonderfull in-laws joined us and we had a wonderful day shopping and eating. I will keep updating as I go along, it will be a process and will consume our time (when not at baseball games) until she is here! This afternoon we are hitting Home Goods for some one of a kind of finds and Lowes to purchase the paint for the walls! Stay tuned...let the madness begin!
Hugs, Annie and Jason

A Joyful Christmas

As always my Christmas was wonderful. This is our 4th Christmas together and we are starting to get in the swing of things, keeping up with old traditions while adding some of our own. I can only imagine what next year will bring when Giada joins us! We did our traditional Christmas Eve at Grandma Papi's. Ken dressed up in his Santa suit and entertained the kids (maybe the adults more). Ann put together a Christmas show for the girls and they entertained us with their renditions of "Jingle Bells,""Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," and even threw in a little Taylor Swift. The boys jumped in the show too, until they realized all eyes were on them, then Luke would just stand and stare...so cute! We filled up on sandwiches, chicken, salads and yummy desserts, opened presents and laughed the night away. Christmas morning was at our house with my mom, Don, Emily and Derek. We opened presents and ate a wonderful Christmas breakfast. It was a moring shared with laughter and joy. We talked a lot about what Christmas will be like next year, this was my favorite part. I love thinking about Giada being here, establishing new traditions; doing the things I did with my mom and dad during the holidays. After we finished breakfast we headed over to Michelle's house to open gifts with Ken, Peg and Michelle, the laughter followed us there. We stretched our gift opening out into hours because we were having so much fun talking, listening to Christmas music and laughing. We rushed from there to Stan and Margo's to meet back up with all the Papi's and my sister. Dinner was incredible, prime rib and salmon, cooked to perfecion as always. The kids played "Just Dance 3" on the Wii and we sat around chatting for hours. Katie and Travis shared the exciting news that they are expecting their 3rd bundle of joy in July! So happy for them and excited that Giada will have a cousin so close to her in age. Can't wait to find out if it is a boy or girl! It was the perfect end to a perfect two days celebrating CHRISTmas together. So much joy is felt amongst those we love and care about the most. Jason and I were so blessed this Christmas; with our number one blessing being LOVE, from family, friends, and above all Christ. We hope you had a very Merry Christmas!

Our Christmas Eve Show! Logan
Hannah

Our Entertainers

Hannah wanted her mommy to join the show too!

This was Luke's immediate reaction to Santa walking in the door...

Santa Clause (aka Ken Papi)

Santa giving the kids love

My In-Laws, Mr. and Mrs. Clause

Lincoln modeling his new Raider gear

Hannah modeling her new pink jacket...she's a natural!

Merry Christmas Eve!

Christmas Morning at our house

My sissy and mom

Derek!

My mom and Don

Merry Christmas

My only picture from Christmas night, too busy chatting! Luke playing Just Dance 3! His shirt says "Big Brother"

Love, Annie and J

Our Christmas Card

I didn't order enough Christmas cards this year so I wanted to share it with everyone anyway. Please accept my apology if you didn't get one this year, I just went down the list and when I ran out, I ran out. I will make it up to you next year! I didn't do it on the computer so I couldn't upload it, I had to go the ghetto way and take a picture of the card. It will do. Merry Christmas to all of you. Enjoy this time with your loved ones, the holidays go so quick! We are looking forward to next Christmas when those pink Toms will be filled with our precious package, Miss Giada Rose! Love to you all!

Cindy Lane

On Monday we walked Cindy Lane with the Costa's. We met at Round Table for some pizza and then headed over to enjoy the christmas lights! Heather and Jamie brought the wagon for the kids to ride in and we all bundled up for some Christmas festivities! It was such a fun night laughing with friends and seeing the lights through the kids eyes. This is a new holiday tradition! Until next year (with Giada!)...

Brady sipping his hot chocolate, McKenzie all bundled
Wow! We got Brady looking at the Camera!
My sweet Heather, love her!

Merry Christmas, Annie and J

Christmas Tree Lane

We hit Christmas Tree Lane on the first walk night of the year. We grabbed our Starbucks and headed over. We didn't start our walk until 9:00 which worked out perfect because the big crowd was on their way out! We had a wonderful time with Emily and Derek and put ourselves in the Christmas Spirit!

Me and EmilyDerek and Emily

Merry Christmas!

The Papi's

Thankful

This past Thanksgiving we had so much to celebrate and be thankful for. Our family, friends, jobs, home, love, and our baby on the way. We had a relaxing day watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, eating lunch at my Dad's and dinner and dessert at Stan and Margo's. Stan and Margo always do such a nice Thanksgiving dinner at their house and their is nothing better than spending time with those you love, watching the cousins play and giggle. My sister joined us which always makes my holidays complete. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving spent counting their many blessings and loving on their family!

Hannah girl being her goofy self... Love this man with my whole heart

My Beautiful Sister

Lincoln and Jason (somehow they are always color coordinated on Thanksgiving)

Hugs, Annie and Jason

Time to share the news with friends...

After revealing the news to our family we wanted to share with our friends that we hold near and dear to our heart. We had more cupcakes made, packaged individually and had a great time driving around delivering them to our friends' doorsteps. I sent them a little text to let them know they had a sweet surprise with a little revealing inside! It was so much fun and we wanted to share the news with our friends in a special way. Thank you for coming along side us on this journey and blessing us with your encouragement, advice and prayers! We love you and Giada is so lucky to have each and everyone of you in her life!

The cupcake with the pink filling!

After we delivered our cupcakes we headed to Pauletta's for dinner and Giada got her first gifts!

Hugs, Annie and Jason