Christmas and Thank You!

I realized that I hadn't posted about Christmas yet! Not that it is anything too exciting but we still enjoyed the day. Ryan had practice Christmas Eve and then had Christmas day off! We slept in, ate a big yummy breakfast of homemade egg mcmuffins, opened gifts and hung out until the evening. In the evening the missionaries came over to Skype their families and then we went to a fun dinner with the American team mates and some other team members that don't have family close. It was great! We ate way too much food which is exactly what I always do on Holidays. I love the Christmas season! The opportunity we have to celebrate the birth of our Savior along with enjoying time with family and friends. This year was our first Christmas on our own which was a whole new experience. Last year my family came to Turkey but this year my parents were here for New Year's! It was great! Enough babbling...Merry Late Christmas Everyone!

Baby's Christmas! He was definitely spoiled and has enough blankets and clothes for 3 babies. Thank you everyone for the gifts and hard work!

On another note...THANK YOU for all of the suggestions for the baby! I think I am getting closer to being set on what I need for the first month until we get home to the States. I am sure there will be plenty more questions to come. I really appreciate those of you that took the time to make your comments and help me out. It was greatly appreciated! xoxo

25 WEEKS

I am now at 25 weeks!

The time is FLYING by! I absolutely love being pregnant and am really enjoying this stage in the pregnancy. I am feeling really great with plenty of energy, the baby moves all the time and shows off and does flips when Ryan feels him. We're getting more and more excited day by day! I will admit I look at his tiny socks and onesies just about every single day. I know that having a baby isn't the easiest thing but we are definitely looking forward to the challenge! I am grateful for good health and no complications so far. Let's keep this up! (Oh and yes, I do still have my Christmas tree up. Don't judge. It will probably be up for a few more months! I like the extra color!)

For all you moms out there I need your advice! We will be in Italy for about a month or so after the baby is born waiting for his passport to arrive. I am needing to know what you think are absolute NECESSITIES for a tiny newborn. I am not wanting to get everything here just to take it home a month later so I am going to make it by with the bare minimum. I am set on little onesies, burp rags, blankets, diapers and wipes. Please let me know what you HAD to have with your little one! Thanks!

Meet the parents

My parents came to visit us for 10 days right after Christmas and WE LOVED IT! Ryan hasn't seen anyone from home since the beginning of August so it was nice to see some familiar faces. Ryan was still really busy with Basketball so my parents and I would take day trips from Treviso and come back in time to be with Ryan after practice. We went to Venice two times, Verona, Trieste, Cortina, and an away game in Cremona. We also hung out in Treviso a few days! It was great being able to show my parents where we live and the places we've been talking about!

Venice

Cortina

Cortina

Verona

Verona- Touching Juliet's "breast" for more love in our lives!

Trieste- Where we got ripped off big time! Sometimes being a foreigner doesn't work out for the best. We will always remember being charged 40 euro per plate for the most disgusting shrimp we've ever had!

Trieste

Venice

Venice

Venice

Venice

Venice

Venice- Aren't they so cute!

Treviso- We drank about 10 hot chocolates while my parents were here! DELICIOUS!

Treviso with the Benetton Christmas tree!

Also while my parents were here we ate tons of delicious food, played lots of Five Crowns, I trained my parents how to REALLY sleep in and we enjoyed watching Ryan's games! I am so happy they came out here and really appreciate them taking time away from their incredibly busy lives back home. We are excited to have them back in April for when the baby makes his arrival!

Stories...

Story #1

On Sunday at church I was sitting next to a missionary so he could translate for me. There are about 4 kids in our Branch ranging from ages 4 to about 8. Not many kids at all. There is one little girl that is so sweet! She always comes and gives me drawings and hands me coloring pencils etc. This Sunday I felt a little tap on my shoulder and I turned around and here she was! I started speaking the little Italian that I know to her and then she came closer to me. She leaned in, patted my belly and then handed me a piece of candy! haha I told her thank you and she went away. Right after church her dad came up to me and told me that she was hoping that my baby was a girl so she could dress her up but when he told her it was a boy she said "Maybe she'll let me dress him up too! He'll be my best friend! I'll go give him some candy!" The baby already loves her and loved the candy! What a cute little girl!

Story #2

On another note, I almost got hit walking down a street by my house the other day. Ryan and I were walking back from the grocery store that is really close to our house with bags of groceries. On our way to and from the store we have to walk down a narrow one way street. At one point of the walk you have to check behind you to make sure no cars are coming because there is somewhat of a blind curve. I was in front of Ryan. We looked and there were no cars so I continued walking. All of a sudden we hear a car FLYING down the street. There are a couple speed bumps so I just assumed this would slow them down. Nope! It didn't! All of a sudden I'm slammed up against the wall trying to "think skinny" with my eyes squeezing closed and this car barely misses hitting me! This didn't make Ryan very happy. If she would have waited 2 seconds I would have been completely out of the way and up on the sidewalk that begins a few feet in front of me. Ryan starts to yell in Italian at this lady telling her that she should have waited for me to move, that I'm pregnant and that she is impatient and rude. This didn't make the lady happy! She rolls down her window all the way and starts screaming back at Ryan! At this point I have NO clue what was being said! I had already heard the Italian that I know and that isn't much! Ryan kept yelling and yelling at this lady back and forth until some other people that saw what had happened came over and starting yelling at the lady too! A lot of people were really mad at how fast she was driving down the street and they were saying that she was lucky she didn't hit me because it was way too close! Finally she rolled up her window and drove off. I was scared! I thought Ryan did a great job defending me in his Italian even though I don't know everything he said. She sure understood though!! Crazy lady!

A little Basketball

A couple games ago Benetton played Sienna the best team in Italy. It was an amazing game!! We ended up losing by just 2 points. Close games are the best and worst! They are a lot of fun and it keeps it intense but then losing by 2 makes it harder then losing by 20 if you ask me! We had amazing fans!! It was the first game that my parents were able to see here in Italy while they were visiting.

The fans with a Merry Christmas/Happy New Year banner!

Ryan shooting- yes this went in!

Such a fun game! Go BENETTON!

Quick visit to warmth

The main reason why I went home in December was for my niece Sadie's Baptism! We traveled down to Arizona to be there for the big day. She was great! Sadie is so sweet, fun and easy to love. I love Sadie so much and have enjoyed watched her grow through the years. She is definitely someone special!

Sadie and Sam on the big day! Sadie in her beautiful Baptism dress!

Sadie ready to be Baptized!

Sam and Olivia all ready for Sadie's big day!

One of the days I was in Arizona I was able to go see the Toolson's! I married into the BEST family! I went over for Sunday dinner and had a blast! We ate yummy food (as always), built Gingerbread Houses, roasted s'mores, talked a lot and baby boy was showered with gifts! Thank you everyone!!

Colbi and me working away on the houses!

Love all the cousins! We were a mess...

And of course Cheri came to the rescue!! I love her! All of our Gingerbread houses were collapsing after about 3 seconds of being done so here she comes to help us all out!!

Sadie got her ears pierced when we were all there! I think I was more nervous then her. I couldn't even watch. She is such a cutie!

23 weeks...

a couple weeks ago after returning from visiting the States. 1/2 baby and 1/2 Holiday food baby! Now I can feel the baby move! The doctor always said he was active and in the past few weeks I have felt why! I think it is absolutely amazing being able to feel him! The best part is that he is hyper and kicks hard enough for Ryan to feel him too! He is already sucking up to his daddy.

Best way to spread Christmas Cheer...

Is singing loud for all to hear!

When I was home we had an Ugly Sweater Party! It is definitely a new tradition! I laughed until I cried about 15 times. I wish I had more pictures of everyone there but you can get a taste from the few pictures I do have! We ate soup, decorated gingerbread houses, had relay races- losers going caroling, exchanged white elephant gifts and played a few more games! It was perfect!

By far my favorites of the night!

Our group lost the relay race so we GOT to go caroling! If you know me well, you know this is no punishment! We put on quite the performance!

Lean, Mean, Sewin' Machine

When I visited home in December it was prep time for baby! My mom and sister Kim were beyond helpful and got me ALL set up. We had the best time learning how to make these burp cloths from cloth diapers. They were so easy and so much fun! Not to mention ADORABLE! I am obsessed with every single one and the baby will have plenty to go through! Along with the burp cloths my mom made me a million blankets of all sorts. They are perfect!

Benton testing out the blanket to make sure it is soft enough for his cousin on the way. Whenever we would ask Benton where the baby was he would lift up my shirt and pat my belly! He's so cute!

The baby is already spoiled. He was hooked up from both Grandma's! We got the cutest stuff from mimi (Cheri) and Colbi down in Arizona! A 3 piece pimpin' suit for him and tons of clothes and blankets! Along with being able to see some of the stuff that Ryan wore when he was a baby. I about died!

Thank you everyone!