Lunch Date

My nephew Isaiah was Uptown today with his Dance Class at South Charlotte Middle School to see a performance at the Booth Playhouse. He called me earlier in the week to see if I wanted to meet up with him for lunch while he was up here. I was so excited that even though he is in 8th grade he would want me to come!!! He loved the performance and was so excited to talk to me about it. He is such a detailed story teller that it was like I was there with him. His friends were great too!!!

Not the best picture of me at all - but isn't he SO CUTE, oh I mean Handsome.

Lunch with Isaiah - what a perfect way to start my weekend!!!

Love You Amber

One of my favorite things to do is take pictures of my niece Amber (Colleen's Daughter) when she is moody, unmatched, dissheveled, half asleep, just woke up....you get the idea!!! Then I use them as screen savers, bookmarks or just display them. We both always laugh about it.

Here is the latest - from the moody category.



I love you babe!!!

Empire State of Mind

Most of you know that my family and Joe's family were born and raised in New York. Long Island to be exact. About 60 minutes from "The City."

I have been in Charlotte for just over 11 years and I love it here and know this is the best place to be raising my kids. However, I will always be proud to be a "New Yorker." We are Italian and lots of things NY represent our heritage. I want to bring my kids to "The City" now that they are old enough to soak it all in, but still young enough to be AMAZED by all of it!!!

I was listening to the radio this morning on my way into work and I heard the Jay Z/Alicia Keys song "Empire State of Mind" - some of the lyrics really got me thinking about New York and how blessed I was to live there for so long and how the lyrics are so representative of The City itself.

I am not going to post all the lyrics - just the chorus because that is what caught me the most.

New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothin' you can't do
Now you're in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Let's hear it for New York, New York,
New York

If you have been there you will know what I mean when I say the moment you come up from Penn Station you have an automatic adrenilyn rush and an unbelievable feeling of "I can do anything." And that is basically what Alicia is saying here.

So grown up

As part of her birthday celebration Danielle and I had mother/daughter day on Sunday. The four of us are always together and it is rare we have just two of us do something, so it is a big treat. Joseph had a party and Joe - well it was Sunday and the Vikings were playing at 1:00.

Instead of a party this year Danielle decided she wanted a "new, big girl" room. Including paint, comforter, curtains etc... Well we lucked out and got a great deal an a complete set and part of our time on Sunday was set to go to Lowes and pick out paint samples. She was sooooooo cute picking out all different color cards and holding them up against her two throw pillows that we brought with us. From there we went to Concord Mills to walk around. As a treat she had her first Vanilla Latte from Starbucks!!! Again when it is the four of us it is too expensive for us to go to Starbucks. She was so excited to have a real Starbucks Cup to walk around with. I had to take her picture with my camera phone!!!

We had a great day and I look forward to many, many more mother/daughter outings.

October 21, 1999

10 years ago today Joe and I were blessed with our first child. Danielle Nicole. It is so hard for me to believe that she is 10 - I mean that is double digits!!! She has brought us so much joy over these 10 years. I have choked up several times already today as I was getting pictures ready to post here. Rather than start to ramble on about my little girl I decided to post 10 things I love about her:



1. Her pure heart - she sees good in everyone and is non-judgmental.


2. Her big eyes - she smiles with them and she doesn't even realize it.


3. Her ability to laugh at herself. She knows life is not meant to be serious all the time.


4. Her nurturing ways - all of the younger kids in our family go directly to Danielle because they know she will stop what she is doing and help them.


5. Her sense of family - from the oldest generation to the youngest generation, she loves being with family.


6. Her selfless ways - she will help her peers anytime she can and she is never boastful about it.


7. Her sense of style - she will certainly never leave the house and embarass us by what she is wearing.


8. Her beauty that comes from the inside - this goes back to her pure heart, she really doesn't have a mean bone in her body.


9. Her determination - she never gives up, she will try and try until she can do what she is trying to do.


10. Her laugh - listening to her and Joseph cracking up always reminds me how truly blessed I am.

Birth Announcement

Birth Announcement Picture - yes she is only 4 days old in this shot!!!

Her first Halloween. Our Pea in a Pod - with her friend Chase, the duck.

First Professional Picture and First Christmas

Christening Gown

Daddy's Little Cheerleader

Apparently Colleen and Amber thought she was a toy....

Do you see the theme here....

One Year Old

First Pre School Picture - 2 years old

Very first dance recital - Broadway Baby - There have been 8 more since...

Dressing up for New Year's Eve

3rd Birthday - our Belle

Gardening with Nana

My fashionista

You see what I mean

First Day of Kindergarten with Brianna

Father/Daughter Dance

First Communion

Recital

First Hip Hop Performance

First Dance Competition

Getting so grown up

Recital 2009

First Day of School August 2009 - 4th Grade

Danielle - I love you over the moon, around the sun, under the ocean and back to my heart. Mommy

Nothing to wear...really???

Last night I spent at least 2 hours in my closet - yes 2 HOURS. Doing what, you ask? I was moving clothes from my closet to the closet in the bonus room in preparation for the change in season, and therefore a change in wardrobe. As I was walking up and down the hall carrying things back and forth I realized I have enough clothes to wear (with the exception of long sleeve tees) yet each morning I stand in the closet while I am getting ready for work and think to myself - "I have nothing to wear."

Does this happen to you? Is it that I am tired of what I have, wish things fit differently, hold onto things in the hopes of they will look better when..., do I wish for more comfortable things instead of my work clothes? I really don't know the answer - but I can tell you this - whatever I didn't wear over the summer will be donated. It is wasteful to keep these things and never use them when there are so many people who REALLY NEED them. I encourage you to do the same as you go through your closet.

Everyone Come Out....

For a Yard Sale/Bake Sale/Cook Out at THE DANCE COMPANY!!!

Saturday, October 10, 2009
From 12:00 - 3:00
The Dance Company
5031 West WT Harris Blvd
Suite D
Charlotte, NC 28269
704-909-7344

Danielle's Dance teacher, Miss Charyl, opened her own studio this year!!! We are very, very excited for her and continually pray that her new venuture will go well.

Those who have seen Danielle perform know that Charyl is an amazing teacher and choreographer - BUT that is just a small piece of why we love her so and why we came with her to her new studio. Charyl has an even more AMAZING heart - she truly loves the kids, wants what is best for them and will put a stage mom/dad in their place in a heart beat!!! We love that she cares so much about each child that walks through her doors. It is a great feeling to be able to leave Danielle there for HOURS and know she is in the best hands.

Those that know us, know that we do not just leave our kids ANYWHERE - but we would leave Danielle (and Joseph for that matter) with Charyl in a heartbeat.

The sale is to raise funds for a new dance floor for the kids. PLEASE come out and support the studio/Charyl/the kids if you can - we would love to see you there.

If your child is interested in ballet, hip hop, tap, jazz or lyrical dancing CALL CHARYL - you will not be sorry.