Performing Paradiso's

Here are a couple of photos of the kids singing in their little Christmas pagent...Bella loved every minute of the spotlight...

Enzo also shyly enjoyed the attention...

Delia....not so much! She either cried or turned her back on the audience....at least she wasn't the one who had giant ropes of snot hanging down! We always assumed that as the third she would be the attention seeker...I guess that there is still time.

READY FOR SANTA

This holiday we are missing our fireplace:( So until we can figure out how to install one...we are decking the halls....literally!

The biggest fattest Christmas tree we have ever had! Yeah for space!! It is settled in the kitchen as the living room is Mike's makeshift office until we put the walls and floor back in the basment...whatever works!
My sweetie's snuggled up in their jammies watch Rudolph...makes me feel like I am a kid agian....oh the memories.

The crew looking dashing in their Sunday finest....ready to run out the door and singing Christmas carols in front of the congregation at church...the pictures of the perfomance are still coming....note the smile on Delia's face...it wasn't there for long!

Would you guess their favorite pasttime is wrestling???Looks can be decieving.

Christmas Preparations at Casa Di Paradiso

Each year that the kids get more envolved with Christmas decorating the Nativity gets stranger and stranger....this year it features Baby Jesus screaming at his publisist on his blinged-out cell phone, while his Giant Iguana Body Guard stands watch.....got to wonder what they are learning in sunday school...

White House Christmas

Enzo's favorite part of the whole White house celebration....the trains.

WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS

We had a really fun time at the White House Christmas Tree lighting ceremony...thanks to amy and auntie steph for the rockin tickets! What a special treat:) The entertainment was not our usual fare;) but the kids loved it and it kicked off the Christmas season in a really fun way. It was the 85th anniversary of the ceremony this year, so the pulled out all the stops and had Jon Secada perform...lol.
Jon working his magig on the crowd....ahem.

The carolers

Santa paid a visit, and Delia was convinced that he was there solely to give her some gifts early...so nice of all of the hundreds of other people who attended just to honor Delia!

We picked up a stray...Enzo and his friend Josiah eagerly awaiting Jon Secada;)

Bella and Enzo...note the clothing...got to love 65 degree Christmas in DC

The President personally thanked Delia for sharing the day with the people of DC.

Me and the kids in front of the White House and Tree

Mike and Enzo in front of the white house and tree

Daddy and Delia snuggling and waiting for the festivities

Enzo, Bella and Delia in front of the BIG BIG tree and the sweet little Wyoming tree.

THANKSGIVING TRAVELS TO NEW YORK AND DELEWARE

Cousin Jen and Bugga

Bella taking her shot

Even after swearing I would travel no more in 2008, we took a sweet little mini trip for thanksgiving to visit our aunts, uncles, cousins and grandma on the Bachetti side (Mike's mom's side of the family)
Here is Enzo and his nearly 4 year old cousin Alex striking a pose in a nearby play palace

We are fairly certain that Boots will give Danika Patrick a racecar driving run for her money.

The Bugga's. We had a really nice visit in Dover, DE with Grandma Fran, Aunt Gail and Uncle Nick

As well as a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner with the Schneider crew...Here is Mike with Uncle John and cousin John...

And of course the hostess with the mostest...Aunt Pat with little sis, Nori..Thanks for a great time!

SOME HOUSE IN PROGRESS PICS

Well...we are by no means done...but here are some progress pics of how far we have come.
The kids now have a playroom. It is bright and sunny, and opens out to the deck which will be fantastic in the summer. It is so nice for me to have a space for them to be able to play freely, without us tripping over toys, books and markers all the time! A mother's dream! Here is the re-vamped powder room. We put some fun hammered copper and bronze fixtures in...and are still looking to decorate...but we are really happy to be able to use the toliet with having to jump over it to close the door. We rehung the door, replaced and repositioned the toliet, replaced the sink, light fixture and flooring. Added some fun paint and wood trims...Viola!

The best repair by far! Giant closets in the giant front hall. We have a space for boots, coats, blankets, sports equipment...you name it. After living in our rambler (read...no closet space!)for 9 years...closets are my new favorite thing!

The foyer...

The kids were really bummed that we didn't have a fireplace for Santa...I think we have convinced them that he will really appreciate the quick slide through the front door he can perform at our house....more time to leave cool presents for such thoughtful children;)

NEW HOUSE BEFORES

Here are some before pics of the new place! We have replaced all of the flooring, as it was laid incorrectly and disintergrated underfoot with every step!
This is the sunroom, which had the most water damage, we had to replace the walls, ceiling, moldings and floor. Soon to be the kid's main level playroom...hooray!

The best feature of this house...ENORMOUS (by our standards;) backyard!

This is the powder room. You had to step over the toliet to close the door! We are revamping top to bottom.

This is the gigantic, closet-less foyer...we have some work to do here to make it user friendly for 3 little kids and all of their gear.

The front view of the new Casa Di Paradiso...got to love the butter yellow siding with ketchup colored shutters...

HOUSE PROGRESS

Okay, I will admit it...I love shopping for lighting fixtures. Of course only if they are a bargain! Here is one of my two favorites of the many we have replaced:
Dining Room

We finally have a dining room..here is where it is now (still a work in progress)

And here is the before...things are slowly coming along!

House in progress

Well...we bought a 3-year old fixer-upper...here is some of the things we have are working on...besides drainage, plumbing, electrical, sump pumps, new roofing, doors and basement!

Sconie Summer

Delia with her auntie's Nicole and Erin.

My exhausted girls after a long bike ride in Hilton Head...good excercise for momma too;)

The waterbabies

Ready for after-dark crabbing adventures with our good buddies Henry and Nora Meyer in Hilton Head, SC

Enzo, Bella, Delia and cousin Ava in Kenosha

As most of you know, the kids and I got to spend the summer in Wisconsin and SC, enjoying the company of copious quanties of relatives and friends. Sadly, know we miss everyone even more! You just can't win!

Welcome!

Hello to all of our dearest friends and family. This is a late and feeble attempt at me keeping everybody up to date on the life and times at the Paradiso House. I can't make any promises, but I think the photos and updates will be much more regular now!

Why? You may be asking yourself...why do I care to see these feral children in action??? You very well may not! But if you do...here it is. To the best of my non-ability!

Best to you all, hope to see you around here often;)

Julie