When did I have time to do this?

After our Valentines Breakfast with the kids we had them look through our "memories" box with us, and we found this book from our first year of dating! I don't know how I had time to make this...hmmm well maybe no kids was a factor!

We were laughing about how I had so much time before to spend time on this type of thing...now I just whip it out on the computer using my new fave-mypublisher.com- but I used to make these books with my second graders around Valentine's Day using an old Peanuts book (Snoopy) as a launch. I loved hearing what the second graders thought LOVE was!

Moments in Our Love Journey!

Our First Valentine's Date! Vince actually BOUGHT this dress for me as a present and gave it to me before we went out at my parent's house. I was not sure at the time that it would fit, but it was perfect! What an amazing guy!

This was a picture from a wedding that we attended while we were dating, and someone asked us on our way in: "So when is your guys' wedding date?" We were soooo embarassed!

We attended a Rainiers Baseball game with Vinny's friends for a summer date, and had a great time getting to know one another!

The morning of our "proposal" weekend! Vinny came to my house and surprised me while I was still sleeping with callalillies and then whisked me off to Lake Cordelaine.

Dinner was set up for 2 on the dock of a restaurant on the lake and this was the moment after we got engaged! We were so "flowery!"

My favorite wedding pic! And it was taken by my uncle!

On our honeymoon...where we danced the night away at a casino. While I was dancing solely for my husband, a man came up and gave him money to have me dance for him! Vinny loved it!

Our first step into the real world-Vinny's first job as a principal in this town we call home! Here was his first office! I was 2 1/2 months pregnant!

Attending a wedding, and I was soooo excited to wear something that would show my little "bump!" 5 months pregnant with Dom...I had been waiting FOREVER for the bump to appear!

Family Walk...Feelin' the Love

After a Valentine Breakfast (not red and pink, but foods they love) with little gifts, we packed up and went to go for a family walk. We ended up at Cline Spit and even though it was sprinkling part of the time, the view was beautiful!

Out on the horizon there were blue skies and reflections on the water were beautiful. At the beach we were covered with gray clouds, which didn't stop these 3 from having a great time!

Thank you Nick for showing your teeth AND for obliging me with many picture takes to get just the "right one." We all know photo sessions are not your cup of tea these days! You showed me real love by smiling big and for as long as it took!

Oh sweet girl, running to me!

Where are these years going? A 12 year old going into the world of "teenagerdom." Please come out on the other side loving us...we are loving you through the ups and downs, and will always be here to support you and yes, challenge you to be your best possible self!

Forecast: Bright skies ahead! This picture is a great metaphor for our life at the moment with Nick-there are some sprinkles on our calm waters as we learn to dance with each other in this phase of life, but we know that our family strength will bring the sun on the other side.

I LOVE this picture! For some reason it just touches something deep inside of me-3 hands reaching toward the same thing, at different times, close, trying to catch something...sometimes we are all reaching towards the same thing but at different times, missing each other. But knowing the goal is the same-relationship building, meeting each other where we are.

One person caught "it." This time is was a crab!

Doesn't the horizon look bright for us?

Valentine Activities

Nick took this picture of us as we were getting ready to leave for a dinner out. We had such a great time together, laughing and talking, just being together on a date!

While Daddy was getting my gift ready in the bedroom, Dom wanted to be part of the gift-giving too and he made a post-it with " I luv my mom too" on it, and he wrapped up a balloon and the post-it in a Safeway sack and ceremoniously handed them to me. He had the cutest smile on his face. This little guy, who is not so little anymore, makes my heart ache-merely for his sweetness and sensitivity.

Here is our little firecracker, mixing up the Valentine cupcake batter!

And enjoying many licks from the bowl! I think there was more licking than mixing!

Hangin' With Grandpa

Gianna loves listening to the stories that Grandpa will tell her...some of them are true about when he was a little boy, and others are made up, like the "scary" ones G wants to hear! Ilove how her arm is resting casually on Grandpa! She just melts his heart over and over!

Dom loves to wrestle and sit on Grandpa's lap. He is so popular!

Dan is 30!

My brother Daniel turned 30 this week! Jody threw him a fun party, complete with a video! All of the family and their good friends came for the party. Then Jody surprised him with a trip to Sunriver with a bunch of friends! What a way to ring in his 30th year! And he will be bringing a baby girl into the world this year as well! Do I look dazed/tired? It's because I was following Lucy around, making sure she did not dart out a door to follow her nose or eat some people food!

5 Days...that was all!

So many of you know that we have wanted a dog for long time, (well all of us except Vinny), and it appeared that our dream was about to be realized last week! Dom has been begging us for a dog for a long time, and Vinny has finally gotten to the place where he would consent to getting a dog when we move...where we would have more space inside and out. BUT THEN, my friend Kim who travels internationally a lot, and is gone from her dog Lucy more than she would like, offered Lucy to our family...so that Lucy could be more active and in a family. Kim and I rushed into the decision, not really thinking through all the factors.

Isn't she sweet? The kids and I rushed over to Seattle, after counting down the days EACH AND EVERY DAY, and picked up Lucy. Lucy is a miniature beagle, and so sweet with the kids. Dominic couldn't believe his great fortune, and once we settled back at home, I realized that life with Lucy was not going to be that easy! She constantly "follows her nose" and I had to keep the door closed, and with 4-5 kids here, 3-4 days a week it was not easy to keep Lucy inside when we all were in and out all day. Then there was the issue of "no-people-food" which I had a hard time keeping on top of with the kids I babysit. Lucy had been an only child her whole 4 years of life, and she lived the GOOD LIFE with Kim...one that we were not going to be able to keep up with! She would just have to live the "regular" life with the Riccobenes!

So Lucy was our dog for 5 days before we sadly, but for the best, needed to give her back to Kim! Next time we will be going for the dog that fits in easily with our family life-style, and that is low-maintenance. Dom sobbed when we told him the news for 45 minutes, but we reassured him we would be on the look-out for another dog, and he would get another dog one day. It was heartbreaking to witness his sadness. But having Lucy was like having another 8 month old that I had to constantly watch and attend to...I was not ready for that. I think we will be looking in the category of "mutt" next time!

Gianna working hard to get into Kindergarten!

Every morning when we drive away after dropping Dom at school Gianna says, "Why dose girls get to go to school?" to the kids walking in. And every day I say, "Because they are 5, and you have to be 5 to go to school." She wants to go so bad!

Today I took her with me to Dominic's class while I helped since my friend who usually watches her for me was going out of town. Gianna was in heaven! She wanted to "write" just like the other kids, and she sat right down with a group and started working! I was working with another group and could not get her to come back to me! Luckily she behaved nicely, AND Dom has an understanding teacher!

Valentine Art and Music

We saw a cute idea on a blog for making Valentine Shakers. The kids love music, painting, art, and so this was a great hit!

We got to talk about mixing colors to make new colors too.

Baby B used a sponge for painting.

Dominic and his friend Pryce tried out an art poject we found at artprojectsforkids.org that has them trying out techniques of different artists. They loved this foil coloring project.

Kinzley's finished shaker! You can't see it in the picture, but the heart is see-through so when it is shaken they can see the jingle bells, pom-poms, and confetti.

Crazy Days at school

Crazy Hair Day

Crazy Sock Day