Christmas Day

My usual disclaimer about how awful I have become at taking pictures and documenting things. So here are the few pictures we managed on Christmas Day.

We had a really lovely Christmas. Christmas Eve we always spend at my inlaws because it is my FIL's birthday. They have the entire family over and do their version of the 7 fishes. It is great for all of the cousins to get together (there are 6 grandchildren ranging in age from 5yrs to 5months!). They are all sweet and good playmates.

When we got home my dad and stepmom were pulling up at the same time. They came to spend Christmas with us.

Since we were all getting over colds Claudio and I just went to Mass at the Church across the street and left the children home with the grandparents.

Grandma Judi and Grandpa Bob have a lovely tradition of getting each of the grandkids a new Lenox ornament each Christmas. There are different series: snowman series, santa claus series, disney series, and the moose series. We of course chose the moose for Ben. Here we are hanging it on the tree Christmas morning. He is really cute, with little Christmas lights hanging from his ears.

Here is Anna in her snuggly Christmas jammies. She didn't get too excited about any of her gifts, but she got lots of lovely stuff.

This was definitely the Christmas of Thomas for Benjamin and he received lots of new engines and accesesories. Here is Grandpa Bob helping him to open one of the packages.

And here was the present of all presents for Ben. We were able to get him this used train table for his growing collection of Thomas "stuff". You can hear him say a few times, "Ohh wow!" and counting his trains.





Later in the day my brother came over and we had a yummy ham dinner and just a really nice and quiet day.

We Have Waited Three Years For This!

Here in the Salvucci house we love a blizzard......and we NEVER get them! The last time we had a really good snow storm was before we were married...so that is like 7ish years ago. The last time we had an ok snow storm was at least three years ago.

The year Ben was born the winter was so warm that we were having thunderstorms in January and regularly temps in the 60s and 70s. Nothing but an occassional flurry last year.

But here we are...not even January and a good foot and a half of snow!!!!!!!! WE are blessed indeed!!

The started in the wee hours so as soon as everyone was up we went out for a very quick walk in the snow. It was really to windy for the kids, especially Anna so our plans to walk up Mt. Holly quickly changed into a 3 minute venture out with Anna and a quick jaunt in the yard for Ben.

Ben received these snowpants for his birthday last year and I sort of chuckled to myself.....assumed it would never actually snow again and the pants would be packed away unworn at the end of the winter....

Here is Anna all bundled up. This isn't actually from the day of the snow but it was too cute to leave out and fit the theme and all :)

So everyone was bundled up and Anna was strapped on for safety!!

The no standing of furniture rule was suspended so that Ben could peak out the window whenever he wanted to see the snow.

And most of the rest of the day Ben rambled about looking like Bullwinkle (or was it Rocky?) learning new skills like climbing into the exersaucer.

What is Ben up to These Days?

He is dancing...

He is learning the ABC song. Interestingly Ben already knows all of his letters, but not the song yet. It occurred to me how much easier it is to just learn the letters as opposed to the song! He seems amazed and overjoyed to find there is a song that contains all of his beloved letters!

He is "reading". This is a Thomas coloring book. Currently Thomas is his favorite favorite thing. And you can hear him say "Nomas Nomas" several times.



One of our favorite things he says, "Whatchoo doooo-in?"

Deck the Halls

It starts with a little wassail in the sippy. Roll the flavor of Christmas around in the mouth a bit to get in the mood...



Drinking wassail and getting in the Christmas spirit can take a lot out of you so you might want to sit down while you do this..

Ok, now that you've got the feeling you sort branches with Daddy..

Anna, the perfect mini spectator..


Where were we?? Yes yes...sorting branches...

Once branches are sorted and assembled you add the star to the top of the tree..

Then somehow the tree gets covered in lights and ornaments...and voila the tree is up!

I Can Barely Tell Who's Who!!

Can you tell which ones are Ben and which ones are Burl Ives???

St. Nicholas Day

December 6th was the Feast of Nicholas. And legend says he would help out the needy by tossing gold coins into their window and they would land in the shoes or stockings to be found in the morning.

So now there is a tradition to put out your shoes for St. Nicholas to fill on his feastday.

How cute is Anna's little shoe!!

Here is what St. Nicholas left for everyone. We all got chocolate gold coins and a favorite candy treat. Ben also got a new car and a see and pray missal in the hopes that it will foster better behavior at Mass (it hasn't!) and Anna got a pair of mittens.