Gifts for Nonna and Nonno

While Zia Anna was here, Cati and Maria made books for Nonna and Nonno (their Italian grandparents).

We used a kit from Binding Books Beautifully. It was pretty easy and a lot of fun!

The girls wrote their own stories, which I then typed on the computer. Dany and Anna translated them, so each book included both English and Italian text. Then, I printed the pages and the girls illustrated them.

Detailed directions for binding the books came in the kit. I cut the book board to size and we covered it with fabric of the girls' choosing.

Then, we placed the pages inside the cover and put it all in the binder. You use the guide holes to make nail holes in the book. Here are the girls hammering the nails.



Then, you take out the nails and sew the book together using the holes. The girls enjoyed sewing!

We glued their illustrated covers on and had a finished book!

Here is Maria's book that she wrote about the symbols of the Saints.

And, here is Cati with her book about the life of a butterfly.

Here they are reading their masterpieces!

We hope you enjoyed your gifts, Nonna and Nonno!!

Ciao, Zia Anna!

Zia Anna flew back to Italy yesterday :( :(

She and Dany left for the airport while the kids and I were at the doctor's office for Elena's 4-month check-up. Even though we all said good-bye before we left, Chiara didn't quite understand. When we got home, she asked where her new best friend was...

Chiara: "Where is She-anna (a.k.a. Zia Anna)?
Me: "Remember? She had to go home. Papa is driving her to the airport so she can fly up in the sky in an airplane back to her house."
Chiara: "To the moon ?!?! Wow!"



Here are the last of our pictures of Anna and the kids...

...or just Anna and the toys. Perhaps she misses having toys around the house since all of the "kids" in their house are adults now :)

Good-bye, Zia Anna! We had so much fun and we miss you very much!! (Chiara checked the bedroom for you this morning!) Thanks so much for visiting! We hope to see you again soon!

HUGS!!

Elena is 4-months-old!!

How can I slow down time ?!?! Baby Elena is 4-months-old today!

Here's a look at all the kids at 4-months...


Maria...

Cati...

Zia Anna last visited us when we lived in Salt Lake City when Matteo turned 4-months-old!

Chiara...

And little Elena...

...who is cute even after spitting up on my shoulder and wiping her face all in it!

Visiting St. Vincent College

Yesterday, we brought Anna to St. Vincent.

We showed her the Basilica...



...and the garden behind the Basilica.

For those of you who love Chiara's many expressions...

Then we headed up to the math department. (Here is Cati with an expression of her own.)

Then, we went to the Student Center and the Book Store where Anna found a few gifts for people back home.

We chose to go Thursday because Dany thought that the Steelers Summer Training Camp
at St. Vincent was over, so we wouldn't have to deal with the crowds.

We didn't have to deal with any crowds because the Steelers were having a closed practice in the morning - as we were informed a few minutes after taking this picture by a rather large man :)

A tour of Greensburg

On Monday morning after Mass, a friend from our parish took Zia Anna and Maria out for breakfast and a tour of Greensburg!



They saw the Cathedral...


...where Anna enjoyed the stained glass windows, especially these of Our Blessed Mother, Saint Anne, and Saint Elizabeth...

...and she liked this statue of St. Anne and the child Mary.

They also stopped by the Court House.

And, they saw the train station (I've never seen this before and have no idea where it is!).

Then, they went to St. Emma's Monastery.

They said that they enjoyed their morning very much!

I can't resist taking pictures...

...when the kids are all dressed up on Sundays!

Today I had the girls all wear the dresses that Aunt Ginny made for them this summer. Unfortunately, I didn't straighten Maria's sash before taking the pictures, so it's a little difficult to truly appreciate how beautiful this dress is. Oh, well! There will be more Sundays!!

With 5 kids, it's incredibly difficult to get them all looking at the camera AND smiling at the same time, so these were the best pictures I could get. Having a 2-year-old whose immediate response to any request these days is "No!" makes picture-taking even more challenging :)

Chiara would much rather observe the evergreen tree.

Here are a couple of other pictures from earlier this week of the kids with Zia Anna.

It's a hot day here today, so Dany's getting the pool ready. Maybe I'll have more outdoor pictures soon - if I can convince myself to leave the comfort of the air-conditioned house!