Crime Prevention Day

Today was the Crime Prevention Event that Hailey has been working on. We took Luca and Nora down there where they had a bouncy along with several visitors.

A K-9 Police officer along with his dog stopped by and the fire department as well.

The above picture is Luca and our friend (and in several more years, our babysitter), Isabella with the Chandler Fire Department Firemen.

They also had one very impressive unit come by. This is the serious stuff, completely bullet proof vehicle. I think it was a rescue unit of some sort. Luca is standing on top of it being lifted by Alessandro through the opening in the roof.

The kids had a good time and Hailey did a great job. I have to make mention of the article that was published in yesterday's paper, the Chandler Republic. Hailey was interviewed on the phone and the reporter asked her several questions and then said to her, "ou just don't sound like a teenager, you sound so mature". Well, that prompted Hailey to bring it down a couple of notches (I have NO IDEA why) and rather than continue on the "mature" path, she decided to act how people perceive teens to be. She said, "It would really suck if my car got broken into". This was the only statement that the reporter thought to put into the article! Let's just say that when I read that on the full page with Hailey's picture on it, my jaw dropped! That is NOT an accurate representation of Hailey. She was so embarrassed when she saw it and even more so when several of her friends told her they saw the article. She said to me, "Out of all of the intelligent things I said, that is what she put in the paper?" We talked about it and the lesson learned for her was not to be so easily influenced, to be who she is regardless of what others may think. In my opinion, the comment made by the reporter was a compliment to Hailey.

Here is the link if you are interested in reading it for yourself. The photograph they used of her was only in the paper version, not online.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/chandler/articles/2009/10/22/20091022cr-blockwatch1023.html#

Our day ended with pumpkin carving and roasting of the seeds.

Great Tradition!

FAVORITE FRIDAYS!

Todays theme is Favorite Books
My top three...at least right now, are:

• Captivating
• Redeeming Love
• Shepharding A Child's Heart

Each book made my top list for different reasons...as a woman, Captivating ministered to me in so many ways. If you are a woman, single or married, this book helps you to understand yourself as a woman. Great book.

Redeeming Love, I have no words. Based on the book of Hosea.

Shepharding A Child's Heart has helped me as a parent in each stage of discipline for my children. I don't just want "well-behaved" kids, I want kids who, when no one is looking, will make Godly decisions because it is their own heart's conviction. "Well-behaved" kids might turn into self-serving adults and I think this book teaches how to train the heart of a child and not just the actions for fear of getting caught.

I look forward to hearing from you on your favorite books!

An Excellent Source of Happiness

Today was Alessandro's day off, so a majority of it was spent running around town getting things done together, with children in tote. Before Luca and Nora were born, I told myself that my children were not going to be eating in my car because I knew that it would mean a very messy car! I must have had selective memory from when Hailey was little because it is impossible not to feed your children in the car if you do any amount of driving.

We had a long drive back from Paradise Valley and Luca was already expressing his unhappiness. It is not that he was hungry because he spent the morning at my sister Keturah's house eating whoppers and chips! Once the sound of unhappiness began to come from his lips, the closest drive thru was none other than McDonald's. We got him some "chicken" nuggets and we were on our merry way. He was very happy.

I studied the empty nugget box and read the tag-line on it..."An Excellent Source of Happiness"  Really?

I am thinking that they had to come up with something because they can't really say "an excellent source of protein or vitamins and minerals", right?

I realize it may seem that all Luca eats is junk, but he doesn't. Those are the things I blog about because it is funny and much more entertaining. I promise you, Luca eats lots of fruit, eggs, tomatos, etc. I guess I need to include some of those pictures so that you believe me!

I AM SO PROUD OF HAILEY

Here is a sneak peak at what Hailey is up to these days. Along with school, work, family, friends and church, check out page 9 of this link titled "Neighbors G.A.I.N. friends in Sienna Park".
http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1hfxl/SanTanSun101709Issue/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.santansun.com%2Fsantan_home.htm

Individual Attention

Every child needs one on one time with each parent. This is something we feel very strongly about and we strive to accomplish in our family, not always with success. You can imagine the challenges we face in having such a wide age range of children. It is difficult to hold a teenagers schedule when middle of the night feedings and toddler hours are still in effect. It is just another one of the sacrifices we make as parents. I do enjoy, immensely, my time with Hailey, my time with Luca and my time with Nora (even though it is usually interrupting my sleep). On Saturday, when Alessandro was home, Luca spent a good portion of the morning with him outside pulling weeds and running errands with him. It made such a difference in Luca's attitude that day. He craves that personal attention from his daddy. He loves his time with me too, but he is with me 24/7. He feels extra special and very cool when he gets to hang out with his dad. He was walking around here, arms back, chest out, just proud as punch!
 Tonight, now that the little ones are in bed, I will finish this post, spend a few minutes with Alessandro on the porch and then watch a girly movie with Hailey, just the two of us. It really makes a difference in the relationships we form with our kids. I may be completely exhausted, but I am also completely fulfilled in knowing that my children's needs are being met to the best of my ability and by the grace of God. How much more does God, my Creator, find satisfaction in meeting His children's needs?

The Ultimate Guilt Trip

Last night, after the pumpkin patch, we went to Culver's for their famous Butter Burgers and Concretes. The food here is far better in quality than McDonald's and our family eats there for less money! If you haven't tried it, you should! Its only downfall is that it is not closer to our house. Alessandro and I are sitting there with Luca and Nora (Hailey didn't want to go to the pumpkin patch, so she missed out on Culver's too) and we are chowing down on some really great burgers, fries, soft drinks and ice cream when another family sits in the booth next to us. I look up and notice that it is Wendy, the instructor for the Body Pump class that I used to take and that Alessandro now takes at Fitness Works. What was she eating you wonder? A Salad. Yup!  The ultimate guilt trip!

http://www.culvers.com/

Pumpkin Patch

Why is is 100 degrees again?????  I don't want to hear the global warming theory from anybody because there are some places that had their coldest winter last year and there are also plenty of studies out there to disprove that theory. No, it is not global warming, but why????

I went to the chiropractor today and I just have to say that I absolutely love the clinic I receive my treatment from. I get my adjustment and use a machine called Spine Force, but the best part of it all is the therapeutic massage I get each and every time I go in, which right now is 3 times a week. I have a spondylothesis, grade 1. If you have a spondylothesis, then you want the one I have, very treatable. I am so thankful because the pain I experience in my back on a daily basis is very debilitating especially when you have two small children and laying on the couch with pillows propping you every which way is not an option! I am slowly but surely making progress on my rehabilitation and will be back to running again very soon.

We had a great day with Daddy home!  I love his days off!  We went to the Mother Nature's Farm Pumkin Patch and Luca had a blast! 

There was pumpkin decorating, a hay maze, a jump and bounce, a hayride, animals, barrels to crawl through and lots and lots of dirt!

Nora mostly hung out in the stroller while Luca played.

Luca and Alessandro went through the hay maze and when they came out the exit, Luca was proud as punch!

It was a great day, but did I mention that it was soooo hot!  We wanted to wait until the weather got cooler, but the next couple of weekends are booked.
One thing I want to share about the hay ride and pumpkin patch...we sat on metal benches on the trailor rather than hay. There was not much hay on the hay ride and you couldn't get to the hay that was on there because it was beneath some metal bars. I was expecting the hay ride to take us out to the pumpkin fields to pick our pumpkin. We actually didn't see any pumpkins on the hay ride. We just rode around a dirt road. Just a couple of observations. It really made no difference to Luca, he had a "sick" time (as Hailey would say it).

                                                                                               

When Luca first laid his eyes and hands on the pumpkins, he started throwing them as if they were one of his balls!

Luca was really enjoying himself on the tractor. He looked at Nora as if she was invading his territory!