Luca & Olivia's 1st time eating pasta the Sicilian way!

When I was a little girl, I remember my parents canning homemade pasta sauce every summer. My mom would make homemade pasta noodles and they would make a huge thing of pasta and put it on huge wood board and we all would eat it at the picnic table. I guess it's a Sicilian type of tradition and it was so fun. My parents came in town today and did this for the kids. They had so much fun getting messy and they love pasta. It was fun watching them and remembering when my brother and sister and I used to do this, too.


They were hungry!




Eating with a fork like they should until....

My dad showed them the Sicilian way to eat pasta.

They learn fast. :)

Luca even got the "slurping" of the pasta down.

I hope that I can continue this tradition but making homemade pasta and sauce is hard work but it's so good!

Lollipops Concert

Today I took Luca to the Lolli-pops concert (a free concert for toddlers and they play toddler music). Evie, Baby Elle, Aunt JuJu & Uncle Kevin joined us. Luca loves his cousin Evie. It was so cute watching them dance together. Corey had 2 conference calls so he couldn't join us. Olivia stayed at home with him and took her morning nap. I was going to take her but I was a little nervous taking them both out by myself in at a crowded concert while it was my 1st time taking Luca out since we've been potty training. He did great and didn't have an accident - I even gave him a lollipop for not having any accidents in 2 days.



Dancin' Machines....

It's Potty Time!

This is our 4th day of full-blown potty training. No diapers for 4 days straight even at bedtime & naptime. It has been a long week. We've had some good days with NO accidents and some accident days but I guess that will happen. I think we're wearing Luca out. He wanted to lay down on top of his toy bin to take a nap.


Olivia giving him a kiss.

This whole potty training thing is cracking Olivia up!

I'm a little nervous of taking Luca out in public. I'm hoping by next week he's got this potty training thing down. Wish us luck!

My Montage 8/4/10 at OneTrueMedia.com

So as we were trying to potty train Luca - Olivia was trying to tell us that she wants to be potty trained! I was telling Luca to "push" and she started to push. Corey took her to the potty and we couldn't believe she went! She's one competitive little girl!

Viewer discretion is advised. If you are not a fan of poo - I recommend that you do not watch this video. ;)

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Bath Time

Corey figured out a new way for Luca not to freak out when we wash his hair! He loves his new goggles and even wanted to potty with them on! He looks like a swimmer here.


Now he can get his hair all wet and smile instead of scream bloody murder!

Olivia doesn't need the goggles yet but Papa gave her a little Alfonso do.

Olivia Talking

Thanks to my fellow blogger and friend Anne for giving me the idea to use One True Media for my videos. I'm still trying to learn how to edit so there are some repeat things on here. But these are some of the words that Olivia can say and sign.
Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Potty Training Fun

Here's Luca showing off his Handy Manny Underwear that Grammy & Poppy bought him. We told him that Handy Manny doesn't want to get wet or he'll cry. Unfortunately, Handy Manny did get wet and Luca told him "I sorry Handy Manny."

Luca likes to close the door for privacy when he goes to the potty. Then he runs out and says "I did it!" Potty training definitely takes lots of patience! Good thing he's cute - I think that helps.

Happy Kids!

I took the kids to the Powell Park & Splash Pad. They both were very happy!

Day 2 of Potty training has been good. Luca actually went #2 on the potty today. I was so proud of him.

One of the benefits of them being so close in age is that they both enjoy the same things. They had their bathing suits on b/c you can see in the background that this was also a splash pad park.

Luca is so independent - I remember last year I would have to help him down the slide but he doesn't need my help anymore.

The other day I told Luca that he was cute and he said "No, Ovivia cute...Cuca soo happy!

Vegas

Vegas Baby!

Corey's cousins were in Las Vegas the same time we were so we took the Hoover Dam tour together. It was a lot of fun!

This is amazing - when you see it in person it's a HUGE bridge.


There has been a drought. The water used to be at the top of the white line.

If you rub the statues feet you'll get lots of good luck!

Scary!

It's amazing that the concrete hasn't fully cured b/c there is so much concrete in this dam.

Here's the Pink Jeep that we toured in.


This was a really neat terazzo floor installed by Italians at Hoover Dam.

We saw Whoopi Goldberg!

Corey saw Jerry Springer.

This was a volcano show at Mandalay Bay.

This neat little sculpture was made out of canoes.

We had a great vacation in Vegas. We had a relaxing time laying out by the pool and sleeping in. We missed the kids terribly. Everytime I would see a baby or toddler I would think about the kids and that's about all we talked about the entire vacation. Vegas definitely isn't the best place for kids and I was so surprised at how many people brought their kids there. Our kids were in good hands with Grammy & Poppy. Olivia woke up this morning and said Poppy when she saw me. I guess she was missing him more than me.

Now that vacation is over we are going to try to potty train Luca this week. So far today, we had one accident. Corey put Olivia on the potty today and she actually went! Maybe we could just potty train them both at the same time? On the other hand, having the patience to potty train one is plenty for us right now! Wish us luck because I have a feeling it's going to be an interesting week.

Jackie & Marc's Wedding

My good friend, Jackie, got married this weekend to Marc Armstrong. They met in Michigan for the OSU/Michigan game 4 years ago. Marc and Corey went to the SAME grade school in Batavia. Isn't that a small world? She called me the day she met him and I told her she was going to marry him! It was a beautiful wedding & I've never been to a poolside reception - it was pretty cool! Jackie was a beautiful bride. She sent me a text the day of the wedding telling me that there is a saying that you usually dream about what you are worried about the night before your wedding - well her dream was that Corey and I didn't show! What's funny about this is we scheduled a lunch date on Monday and I got the date mixed up and didn't show! I guess her dream was sort of right? Grammy & Poppy watched Luca all day and spent the night so we could enjoy their wedding day.

Like Father, Like Son

One of the qualities that I love about Corey is that he's a handy man. Corey can make anything and can put anything together. Luca wants to be just like his Papa. Luca had this little project that he got for his Bday and Corey and Luca worked on it together. Corey read the directions & Luca screwed all the pieces together to make this submarine. It was a Handy Manny Project which is one of Luca's favorite shows next to Yo Gabba Gabba. It came with a little screwdriver , "Turner." Luca also had a Phillips screwdriver and I was trying to teach him the difference between the two. I said this is a Phillps screwdriver and he said "My screwdriver not Phillips." I thought it was the funniest thing.


We are so lucky because he's such a good boy and it has been nice to spend some one on one time with him. We are very excited to pick up Olivia tomorrow - I think he misses her because he doesn't have someone following him around the house and to play with. He's been asking me "Mommy come me, play train?" He's so loving and caring and we are blessed to have him in our life.

One On One Time

Yes, I know...it's 90 degrees out and he's wearing his snow boots! He actually took a nap with his boots on without us knowing! He's so silly!


When my parents were here this weekend my Mom asked us if they could take the kids So they are spending some time with Olivia for the week. It should be good for her since she's very attached to Corey and I. Luca is loving the one on one time and all the attention we've been giving him all week. Here he is at Katie's pool for another playdate.

I also took him to a Lolli-Pops Concert but it was postponed. Good thing it was at a park because he ended up playing instead.

Luca would go down the slide and yell "I did it!"

Waiting his turn patiently- I was so proud.

He was a little apprehensive at first but then couldn't stop going down the slide!

Last year he LOVED this splash pad. I remember when we had to go he had a fit because he didn't want to leave. This year, he had no interest - he's so concerned about getting water in his eyes we think it's due to a bad experience in the bath when he got soap in his eyes. Now he hates getting his hair wet.

He's always so considerate, thoughtful and very polite. The other day we made homemade donuts which he LOVES and he noticed that Papa was finished and he said more donuts for Papa please. He also loves his monkey and I asked him if I could hold his monkey and he said no, then this morning when he woke up he came into our room and laid in bed with us to watch cartoons, he gave me his monkey and said "here momma."

Baby Elle's Baptism

Baby Elle on her baptism. She's adorable!


The cousins eating Grammy's famous pitzells.

Olivia giving Elle a kiss.

I found out today from Elle's Grandma that the dress she wore is 47 years old. It's been worn by all the Caserta's, even her Dad, Kevin.

Elle's always smiling for her Aunty JoJo

The Caserta's. This pic was taken by Luca...impressive.

The Andres

The Caserta Family - growing!

Elle's Godparents, Cara and Tom.

Luca posing before going into church.

Giving his sister a big kiss.

Olivia smiling at GOD.

Our family.

I have to share this story. Corey is always doing push-ups at home. Today when I was checking on Luca, when he was supposed to be taking a nap, he was on the floor trying to do push-ups just like his Papa. So cute!

Me and my little man. He's getting so big.