Family Photos 2009

Ugh, Smilebox has been driving me nuts with the landscape/portrait photo set ups. I would start a slide and then you would miss most of the pictures because they would be the wrong direction. Finally I did this Christmas scrapbook and fit what I could in it. Here are my favorites from our family photos we did back in November. I think they came out lovely this year and I think the scrapbook Christmas presents for the parents came out great, if I do say so myself...enjoy!

Christmas 2009

Well I am finally getting around to posting Christmas Eve and Christmas pictures! I figure I better do this before we get into the New Year, as my plan is to blog less on here (maybe once a week) and more on my business sites. I am super bummed that Christmas flew by. We had such a wonderful time with family, which always seems to be the case. The kids LOVED Christmas Eve and Christmas with all of the opening presents and playing. I just relaxed and tried to take it all in. I got all my traditions done that I wanted to this month and was also able to enjoy the time with my kids and with Chris. Christmas Eve we do our Hansen celebration and Christmas Day we open Calagna presents and have dinner with both sets of parents. This year we dubbed Feliz Navidad! I wanted to do something easy and fun...so we celebrated with Margaritas and Carne Asada. Santa was super good to the kids and us parents! We also made sure the kids remembered the real reason we were celebrating and thanked God for giving us his Son Jesus and blessing us with our family! We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas...Happy New Year friends!!

Everybody Clap Your Hands!

My very hard working husband was the top performing Investment Banker in all of OC, and he didn't even know it. I am so proud of him. He got invited to the Union Bank suite for the Lakers game last night as a reward! We had a great time...we enjoyed some drinks, the food and game... LAKERS WON!

Isabella really wanted to do an ELF card with Popi and Grammy. Try NOT to laugh...bet you can't :) Merry Christmas!

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Birthday Cake for Jesus

You know that every year on Christmas Eve we read the story of Christmas and then sing Happy Birthday to Jesus before we open presents. It has become our little tradition and this year my Mom asked if Isabella would like to bring the birthday cake! We were thrilled to do it. This afternoon, we put on some aprons and baked our cake.

Isabella had a great time...and she is really good at cracking eggs...surprisingly!

We made this cake with Candy Canes because I remembered seeing a Candy Cane poem before symbolizing Jesus. Here is the poem:

Look at a CANDY CANE, what do you see?
Stripes that are RED like the BLOOD shed for me!
WHITE for my Savior, Who's sinless and pure!
"J" is for JESUS, My Lord that's for sure!
Turn it around And a staff you will see ---
Jesus, my SHEPHERD, Is coming for me!

Bella was so proud of the finished product! Can't wait to taste it tomorrow :)

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Vegas, Baby!

Friday morning we headed to Las Vegas. We stayed at the beautiful Encore. While we were waiting for Chris' client and friend Josh (whom we met up with this weekend), we had Maggianos and I went shopping at Fashion Show while Chris did some gambling.

Our gorgeous Panoramic suite at the Encore ( I do believe we have a new favorite hotel for rooms ... at least I do...this one and the Venetian suite are my favorites).









Dinner at Sinatra in the Encore.



Chris and Josh.

Saturday morning we slept in (8:30 - hey, that is sleeping in for us!) and then had breakfast with Josh at the buffet.

We also had Sushi dinner with Josh and his girlfriend Lauren. YUMMY! Then Chris and I walked down to check out the new Aria hotel and City Center. Of course we stopped in to view the Conservatory, which was decked out for Christmas!

We then hung out together at the Napoleon Piano Bar, which we LOVE!

Holly, Gus, Erika and Jeff also made last minute arrangements to come up on Friday for Holly's birthday! This morning, after breakfast, I met up with Holly and Erika to do some shopping at Miracle Mile. I was really happy to hang out with the girls and walk around. And then Chris and I headed to the airport to come home to see our babies!

Chris was done with me taking pictures, so he decided not to smile in this one which is us coming home on the plane! And after viewing these pictures of myself, it is quite obvious that I will be going on a diet shortly!!!!! But we had so much fun eating, drinking (Yes, I even had lots of wine, a couple bloody marys, chapagne/mimosas and that martini....lived it up!) and hanging out. I even found a little time in there to work on my scrapbook Christmas presents and take a nap! Much needed R & R before this busy, yet always fun, week starts.

Hard Work

Today we brought home all of Isabella's work that was decorating the classroom this month. She had a rough afternoon and didn't feel so great...so Mommy thought this would brighten her mood. We hung up all her work in the back of her and Bubba's special Christmas tree. I think it looks festive and well, perfect! Notice the little hand at the bottom?

Our Angel Face

You saw below that Isabella was sick on Tuesday afternoon/night. We prayed before we went to bed that she would be better. She woke up in the middle of the night and said, "Dear God, please let myself be better so I can do my Christmas performance tomorrow!". It was so sweet!!! And surprise, she was better on Wednesday morning. No fever! I think she is at the start of a cold, but at least the fever was gone. THANKS, GOD!! We all met at the church yesterday evening to watch Isabella's class do "The Story of Christmas". It really was so sweet. Seeing those little kids singing cracks me up every time. I would like to say a big THANK YOU to Mrs. Sandra and Ms. Amanda for all of their hard work with the kids. You two are so special to Isabella and this preschool program has been so wonderful for her. The other day she asked me, "Mom...Is it Jesus' birthday yet?" ...not even, "When is Santa coming?" I am so proud!

This shirt was perfect for Vincent "Naughty...It's the new Nice!"

Father Mike telling the kids he is so proud of them!

Us telling Isabella we are so proud of her!
Wearing red and black, but not planned! Isabella got a Rose from Grammy Nancy and Papa Guy!







After the performance, we went to Roscoe's...Bella's favorite! And this morning as we were driving to school Bella said, "Mom, when I get bigger can I work at my Preschool?"...guess that means she wants to be a Teacher! Love her!

Moms Club Play Group

On Tuesday afternoon we hosted a Moms Club play group with Hot Cocoa, Snacks and a Craft. The craft was wood ornaments in different Christmas shapes that the kids colored with markers and glue glitter. They loved it! Unfortunately my little Isabella came home with a bad stomach ache from school and then had a fever all night. At one point she even asked me to put her in bed wile all the kids were here. Bless her heart. We prayed all night she would be better for her performance the next day at school that she had been working so hard on. Here are just a couple of pictures...

Hot Cocoa in my Snowman dispenser and Christmas shaped cheese and PB&J sandwiches.

Isabella started early on her craft!

And this is just a small portion of what her room looked like after all the kids left. Mind you, she didn't do this (She was downstairs at this point). It took me so long to clean up and organize but what are you gonna do, kids will be kids... I just might have to put the upstairs off limits next time...