Two Girls and a Boy

Happy New Year! 1-1-11

2011-01-01T23:08:00.000-08:00

Tonight as I was tucking Gabby into bed she looked at me and said

"Mommy, you are everything I could ever ask for."

This little girl brings more to our lives than we ever imagined.

How lucky are we that we have three blessings that make our world go around.

Happy New Year!

May it bring everything you could ever ask for!!

Welcome Fall

2010-09-23T22:38:00.000-07:00

I have been in a bit of a funk lately.

Life is passing by too quickly and I cannot seem to catch up.

Yesterday we welcomed the first day of fall with triple digits. Maybe that has something to do with my funk.

Tonight I decided to make some Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (I added 1 cup chocolate chips)- they are delish!

I placed them in a clear jar adorned with an owl ribbon. I even made some to share with our friends.

I am hoping this will serve as a beginning to a great fall season.

I saved three and placed them in a bag- I am thinking tomorrow the kiddos will enjoy a homemade treat before school...

Happy Fall!!

Bring a Friend to Dance

2010-09-20T21:32:00.001-07:00

Gabby and Morgan

Little Boy Blue

2010-02-09T20:59:00.000-08:00

Even though he is already 26 months, I still have to pinch myself to remind me that he is mine. Oh how I adore this little man of mine!!!

Hoe Down Venezia Style!

2010-02-07T22:06:00.000-08:00

Gabby's school had a family Hoe Down at Western Trails Ranch in Morristown, Arizona! It was not exactly right next door, but the drive was definitely worth it!! The girls learned some country dances while enjoying hoe down grub with good friends.

The Next Food Network Star

2010-01-03T22:52:00.000-08:00

Pancake Sunday!

The girls love being in the kitchen.

Gabby loves watching the food network almost as much as Daddy.

Her favorites include

Giada de Laurentiis, Guy Fieri and Alton Brown.

Today she helped Daddy make

Alton Brown's "Instant" Pancake Mix.

The pancakes were delicious!!

2010-01-02T01:13:00.000-08:00

It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all. Laura Ingalls Wilder

Gary and I decided to begin 2010 with a new tradition. I read about One little word last year but I never took the time to really follow through with it.

This year will be different. Gary and I are seriously committed to Simplifying our life. We believe that by simplfying our life we will be able to truly enjoy what is most important to us; our family.

We are excited about this new challenge and are really looking forward to a wonderful year ahead!

Happy New Year!!!

2010-01-01T21:12:00.000-08:00

We decided to bring in 2010 with some goofy glasses and homemade donuts.

We are VERY excited about the coming year and are busy making some New Year's resolutions.

Jack

25 months

"Cars, trucks..."

Translated by sisters into learning how to ride a tricycle.

Sophie Cate

4 years

Master a back flip in gymnastics

Gabby

6 years

Ride a bike without training wheels

Happy New Year!

18 months... it really is tough work.

2009-06-11T22:39:00.000-07:00

Best Friends

2009-05-31T23:43:00.000-07:00

Remember this cute boy? Their friendship was new territory for us- Gabby had never had a best friend before. But as the months passed and the adventures of Gabby and Kody continued we soon realized that Kody was indeed a very special friend- he is her best friend. The friend that somehow makes it into every story that comes home from preschool. The friend that is the recipient of the artwork that was once reserved for mommy and daddy. The friend that play dates revolve around.

The best part of this precious friendship is that they both adore each other. Gabby loves collecting bugs with Kody and he loves that she will chase down a cockroach and create the perfect habitat for it. They really are adorable together.

Unfortunately Kody and Gabby will attend different elementary schools. Gabby is taking this really hard. We talk about the fun play dates we will share after school and they are both excited about celebrating their 6th birthdays together (their birth dates are three days apart). But she is still nervous about starting the Kindergarten adventure without her sidekick.

So when her school offered a fundraiser where the kids can decorate a tile that would adorn the walls of their new school Gary and I jumped at the opportunity for Gabby to bring a piece of Kody to her new school with her. We told her about the tiles and before we could even suggest our ideas- she told us that she was going to paint a tile of her and Kody holding hands- so that she could visit it every day and remember her special friend. Perfect!

Today was the day to create.

She started with a horse stamp and then she took off with her creation.

She LOVES it and was sad that she could not bring it home.

This is a picture pre kiln- once it is on the wall I will post a new picture.

We are so excited that Gabby is happy with her tile. We would much prefer her to walk into Kindergarten hand in hand with Kody but we will take the special tile that we know will give our Gabby girl some comfort when she is missing her best friend.

Caught!

2009-05-21T21:32:00.000-07:00

Three lollies were confiscated before

I caught the little guy...

Sprinkles

2009-05-18T20:42:00.000-07:00

We discovered a little place called Sprinkles this past Sunday.

Jack has discovered a deep love for a little cupcake called Banana Chocolate.

If I could have, I would have devoured mine as well.

Waiting so patiently...

2009-05-07T22:57:00.000-07:00

Grammie and Mommy were invited to dance class today. We danced along side our girls and had a fabulous time. Unfortunately my timer was not set so I was unable to capture the memories on film...

I did find the time to take a shot of Gabby and I reading Your Big Backyard.

A different point of view

2009-05-06T23:37:00.000-07:00

I can count on both hands how many pictures I have of me and my kiddos.

Sad but true.

I am not a big fan of seeing myself on film and I am usually the one behind the lens.

But my mom has challenged me to make an effort to change this. She was inspired by an article written by a stay at home mom who is determined to capture the day to day moments of being a stay at home mom. You know the moments, the ones that seem to slip away without notice. Like the days you swore you could not handle one more Dora episode or the days you could read Goodnight Moon with your eyes shut. The moments that you sometimes forget but once you are reminded you wish that you could hold onto them a little bit longer.

There are so many days that I wish I could hold onto forever. I realize that I cannot capture every moment on film but after reading the article and getting a few nudges from mom I am determined to keep my camera set on timer and capture the day to day moments that I hope to hold onto forever.

Today the girls and I made jello. It was a beautiful blue and we decided it would be fun to cover it with sprinkles, whip cream and some chocolate chips. Right before we tasted our first chocolate chips I grabbed the camera, set the timer and captured a fun afternoon moment of me and my girls.

Thanks mom, the timer is set.

A gift of time

2009-04-02T21:50:00.000-07:00

My baby girl.

I took this picture of Gabby while touring her future elementary school.

I look at my little girl and all I see is a baby who grew up way too fast.

She will be 6 in September. She cannot wait.

Thanks to a September 1st cutoff date she could not start Kindergarten until this year.

I worried myself sick over this wait.

Now I am so THANKFUL for this gift of time.

About a Tree

2009-03-25T23:47:00.000-07:00

There is an ongoing debate in our home involving this tree.

Every few weeks Gary wants to cut it down. "It takes away from our view" is his reasoning.

But every spring this big giant becomes a welcoming home to at least one winged family.

This year is no exception.

Last week the girls and I welcomed the first day of spring by buying some new bird seed and making some bird feeders for the above tree.

Gabby had already discovered a new nest in another tree and we were all excited about providing Mama Bird with nourishment.

Mama Dove

Two Dove Eggs

As I was adding seed to the bird feeder that Miss Sophie Cate made last year I was surprised to find a Mama Bird had taken residency. The Mama bird is a House Finch and is common in the Sonoran Desert.

Sophie's bird feeder from last year became a perfect home for the Finch family

Five Speckled Pale Blue Finch Eggs

Mama Finch

Dada Finch

The girls and I were thrilled to discover the next day that the eggs had hatched!! Here is an updated picture of our five baby Puff Ball Finches!!

Five Little Puff Baby Finches

This little one was determined to be fed. Such a big mouth for an itty bitty birdie!

Two Sleeping Baby Finches

To Be Continued...

Treasured Moments

2009-03-24T21:30:00.000-07:00

Twinkle Twinkle

Little Boy

How YOU Fill

My Heart With Joy

Reduce Recycle Reuse

2009-03-24T20:21:00.000-07:00

Gary LOVES to recycle and he LOVES that the girls have been bitten by the recycLing bug too... but I think they went a bit too far tonight.

Why I woke my sleeping child...

2009-03-01T22:29:00.000-08:00

Gary found this incredibly cool bug today. Gabby took no time to fall in love with "Inch by Inch" and place her in a new habitat.

Tonight I wanted to check on Inch by Inch so I lifted the lid of the bug house and discovered this...

So, yes, I woke up my soundly sleeping little girl in order to share this incredible experience with her.

We will see if she even remembers this in the morning.

We will update as Inch by Inch metamorphoses into her new body... so exciting!!

A messy Friday

2009-02-27T22:48:00.000-08:00

Daddy was out of town this week and Mommy was not feeling 100% so we decided to end the week by making a big ol' messy mess! The girls had a blast and Mommy got a clean bathroom.

We found this recipe online and in a few minutes the girls had a muffin tin full of beautiful paint to decorate their bath tub.

2 T. cornstarch

1/3 C. liquid soap

Several drops food coloring

Smidge of water to get a good paint consistency
I gave the girls some paint brushes but they had more fun with their hands (no surprise there).

Before playtime was over the tub was covered in a fresh coat of paint. I loved their art work but listening to their songs while creating made the whole evening a blessing. Both girls thanked me as I took them out of the bath... it made a long week end on a perfect note.

After they created for an hour or so it was time to clean up. This lasted another hour. They may of had more fun cleaning then they did creating. The best part... I never asked them to clean and they did a better job than I would have!

Broadway Babies

2009-02-17T21:26:00.000-08:00

The girls performed at the Cardinal's Stadium this past weekend.

They had their curls, they had their smiles, they danced their best and above all else, they had a blast!

We were so proud!!

A fairy + glitter = MAGIC

2009-02-10T18:43:00.000-08:00

We have a visitor.

She comes into our house in the middle of the night and leaves behind magic dust and a link to the paper chain in the girls playroom.

The girls have named her The Playroom Fairy and she has visited our house twice this week.

And twice this week the girls have cleaned the playroom so that it is fit for a queen.

They put away all the toys (even the ones little brother has left out).

They vacuum.

They spray room freshener.

And most importantly, they make sure the ceiling fan is turned off (fairies don't care for ceiling fans).

Tonight they even left notes and gifts.

I love that the girls believe in fairies.

I love that a little sprinkle of glitter brings magic into our home.

I love a clean playroom.

Curly Sophie

2009-02-05T20:13:00.000-08:00

"The girls will need Shirley Temple curls for the next dance show." Really? Have you not noticed my little girl has the most perfect perfectly straight hair?!

Yesterday we purchased these and after some sweet dreams we ended up with the sweetest Sophie Curls.

There was this boy...

2009-02-04T09:25:00.001-08:00

2009-01-23T21:54:00.000-08:00

Running to be a better ME

2009-01-05T19:04:00.000-08:00

I am a runner.

Tonight I ran my first run of the New Year. It was awful. My lungs burned. My legs ached and a coyote ran with me for what seemed like forever. I hate the first run after a much too long break. It is as if your body has forgotten the previous 7 months that you spent fine tuning every muscle in order to earn the label of runner.

Oh well. Tonight was the best run of my life. Truly. It was.

As I was trying my best to keep my feet and body moving at a reasonable pace I thought back to an essay I wrote while in college. I cannot recall the specifics behind why the essay was written but I do remember the first line.

I am a runner.

The essay was not about the runners high some achieve once their feet hit the pavement, instead it was about the literal definition of running. To flee or escape; to leave a place with the intention of never returning.

I have an awful pattern of fleeing situations, relationships or commitments that take me outside my comfort box. If I am stressed, I escape. If I am overwhelmed, I escape. If I am uncomfortable, I flee. And if something changes in my life I run. Not exactly a trait that I want to bestow upon my three young children.

Writing the essay gave me pause but the process of writing and sharing my words with my professor was not earth shattering and it certainly did not change the course of my life.

But tonight as I ran I was trying to figure out how it could possibly be 2009 and why I am in the exact same place that I always am. And it hit me like a ton of bricks. I am a runner. Of course. Given the opportunity to escape, I run.

This year I will continue to run. But this year I will no longer run from life. This year I will run toward a better life. This year I will run to be a better mom. a better wife. a better daughter. a better granddaughter. a better sister. a better aunt, a better niece. a better friend. a better neighbor.

This year I will run to be a better me.

Yellow Jackets

2008-08-09T07:21:00.001-07:00

This morning Sophie was concerned about Gabby swimming in a pool with jellyfish. Not sure where that came from... anyways, this started a conversation about things that sting. So we were listing things that sting. She said jellyfish, I said stingray. She said bumblebees, I said yellow jackets.

She thought for a moment and then gave me her serious look and said, "no mommy they have zippers."

Thank you Sophie, you made me day.

Breaking Daddy's Rules...

2008-07-30T22:38:00.000-07:00

Gary had one rule... "don't let him eat sand".

Oops!

2008-07-19T22:44:00.000-07:00

Ours

2008-07-10T21:43:00.000-07:00

Tonight as we were eating dinner I was holding Jack. As he usually is, he was smiling and laughing at me. I was playfully asking him "Are you sure you are mine? Are you really mine?" And he would respond with a belly laugh.

After a few minutes of this Sophie stopped me and said "No, mommy he is ours."

Yes, Sophie you are right. He is ours. And we are so blessed.

Princess Pancakes and Prince Peach

2008-07-10T09:13:00.001-07:00

Today on Sesame Street the letter of the day was P. So the girls and I decided to make pancakes and princess bananas for breakfast. We then decided to make peaches for Jack. He loved making a mess while the girls and I made up silly ryhmes with P words. This was their favorite.

"Panda Bear Panda Bear what do you see? I see Prince Peach looking at me."

Jack thought it was quite funny and the girls loved how he dressed the part of Prince all covered in peaches...

Meet Oz

2008-07-02T22:18:00.001-07:00

Is this not the cutest baby quail you have ever seen? On June 20th our family took off for an adventure to Starbucks. The girls and I were lagging behind when we noticed Gary had stopped and seemed to have something to show us. We assumed it was a bug since we are bug obsessed lately- so we were very surprised when he handed us Sophie's bug collector and this little face looked up at us.

The baby chick was alone in the middle of the street and Gary watched to see if the family was nearby- he did not see the family so he decided to take action and swooped the chick up and placed it in Sophie's bug house.

The girl's were giddy and quickly started planning how we would keep our newest pet. We told them that the quail belongs in nature and that they needed to place it back in the desert. After a few good-byes Gabby found a safe place for the chick and she and Sophie tried unsuccesfully to leave the quail. Each time Gabby would leave the baby it would follow Sophie back to the sidewalk. It was adorable seeing this tiny baby follow our little Soph. So after a few attempts Gary and I decided to put her back in the bug house and take it home with us.

Of course we had to give the chick a name. Gabby named her Oz and Sophie called her Peanut. Oz Peanut Venezia came to Starbucks with us and then tagged along with us as we returned home. Once home Gabby and I googled "lost baby quail Arizona" and we found this article. We were relieved to discover that taking the baby was the correct thing to do and then we followed the advise from the site. Gabby LOVED helping me find a box and a warm towel... she was so concerned with every detail.

I called the emergency number and they told us to bring Oz Peanut to the clinic and they would take care of it. So at 9:30 on a Saturday night we loaded up the family and drove to Scottsdale (a 45 minute trek one way). Gabby was sad to say good-bye but we were so proud of her.

Who knew there was actually a place for rescued quail- apparently the woman that eventually took Oz has some 900 quails that she is rehabilitating and then placing back into the wild.

Although we had a few tears and two very tired little girls, it really was a wonderful lesson to teach our girls.

Seven Months...

2008-07-01T10:57:00.001-07:00

First Crush

2008-06-28T23:10:00.001-07:00

Meet Mr. Craig, Gabby and Sophie's swim instructor. Gabby is absolutely smitten by this young man. Gary and I really could not have asked for a better swim coach. He is wonderful with our girls and they truly adore him. Miss Gabby shows off whenever he is near... it really is cute to watch.

A Message for Pop Pop

2008-06-28T22:40:00.000-07:00

Pop Pop loves to play golf and the girls will tell you if Pop Pop is not home then he is probably out on the golf course!

We found this hat to honor Pop Pop and his second once in a lifetime shot! Way to go Pop Pop.We love you to the moon and back and we are so proud of you!!

Beauty and the Beast

2008-06-28T21:31:00.000-07:00

Grammie and I took the girls and Jack to see Beauty and the Beast on Friday. The girls loved dressing up as Belle and they really enjoyed their experience at the theater.

Not only were they able to have some special time with Belle after the show but they also saw many familiar faces among the audience! Gabby was tickled to see school friends and Anthem friends but she was overjoyed when she met her new pen pal, Miss Gracie.

Gracie and Gabby spent play dates together when they were babies but have not seen each other since Gary and I left Estrella Mountain in December of 2004. Gabby and Gracie are pen pals and the mommies were planning a reunion before the new school year, but thanks to some Disney magic, we were sitting in the same row at the show. Gabby was so excited to meet Gracie and she cannot wait to have a play date! It really was a wonderful surprise.

My Beantown Boys

2008-06-21T00:23:00.000-07:00

Back in the day Gary had a B hat that he wore almost daily. I can still picture him walking the halls of Cal High... he made my heart flutter. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would be taking a picture of my high school sweetheart and our son wearing matching B hats. He still makes my heart flutter and that little boy is magical.

I am one lucky girl.

Soph Soph

2008-06-09T23:07:00.000-07:00

Sophie informed us today that she no longer wants us to call her Soph. Her name is Sophie.

I love this little girl. She grew up too fast, sometimes I forget she is alreay 3, a preschooler and no longer my baby girl. I hate how fast she is growing up but I cannot wait to see who this little angel will become.

Sometimes I feel like she is getting lost in the shuffle of being the middle child. I hate that. But she seems to love being in the middle of our silly family. She adores her big sister and her baby brother is one of her favorite things.

My favorite things about my Sophie (aka Soph Soph):

1. Her serious face (daddy and mommy see right through it)

2. Her ability to pop out of bed with a song in her heart and a smile on her face

3. Her daily cuddles

4. Her constant request for special juice (chocolate milk)

5. Her latest obsession with wardrobe changes

6. Her gentle nature

7. Her love for her sister and brother (and for Pop Pop too)

8. Her obsession with Critters

9. Her silly new dance

10. Her little hand in my own

Crowned Crane

2008-06-06T23:14:00.000-07:00

We took the family to the Phoenix Zoo over the Memorial Day weekend and Gabby discovered a new favorite, the Crowned Crane. She loved looking at them and she continued to talk about them after we came home.

On the following Tuesday she decided to create her own. She asked if we could google Crowned Crane, she needed a picture, and then she went through the house collecting and requesting her supplies. An hour later, here is Ella, the Crowned Crane.

Ouch, he stung me!

2008-05-28T22:34:00.000-07:00

Gabby's middle name is Grace. Gary and I love the name Grace... Gabriella Grace Venezia, a beautiful name. Unfortunately, our Gabby girl is anything BUT graceful. We have lost count how many times she has literally walked into a door or a wall. Bruises cover her little shins and knees. Thankfully, she is tough as nails. Tears will only come if she is in real pain.

This morning the tears came. She found a bee in her pool and decided she needed to collect it for her bug house. She scooped it up and received her first bee sting. The tears came from the shock that bees do indeed sting... once she saw the stinger sticking out of her hand she forgot about the pain and was more interested in how we would get it out.

Thanks to some tweezers and Boo Boo juice, the stinger came out quickly and was placed in a container for Gabby's viewing pleasure. Of course, the stinger was not enough so we had to go outside and see if we could find the bee. We did and Gabby wanted to place him in her bug house.

We came inside and did some research to see what kind of bee it was. Gabby was fascinated.

This is what she learned:

She was stung by a honey bee. Yes, bees do sting but only if they are stepped on or are roughly handled. You should take the stinger out immediately. Urinate or apply toothpaste on the area (she, thankfully chose toothpaste). She is not allergic to bees.

Unfortunately her bee did not survive in the bug house. But the bee is still with us. Gabby placed it in the container with the stinger and she carried it around all day. That's my girl!

Teeth!!

2008-05-28T20:25:00.001-07:00

The gummy toothless smile is gone... here is my little boy showing off new additions.

2008-05-23T23:25:00.000-07:00

It is all just stuff...

2008-05-18T20:20:00.000-07:00

It all started after an episode of Neat. Gary and I watched Helen help a family declutter their home in order for their boys to play in their playroom. It struck a chord. So for my birthday Gary hired a professional organizer.

I fired her after one session. Okay, so I didn't really fire her. But I did not invite her back. I know I have a problem. But having someone come into your domain and "toss, keep or donate" her way through your stuff was, for me, kind of like having the flu. I was literally sick to my stomach.

So the organizer and her label maker will not be coming back, but I do have do to something about the clutter.

clut·ter
n.
1. A confused or disordered state or collection; a jumble: sorted through the clutter in the attic.
2. A confused noise; a clatter.
v. clut·tered, clut·ter·ing, clut·ters
v.tr.
1. To fill or spread over in a disorderly manner: Boxes cluttered the garage.
2. To make disorderly or hard to use by filling or covering with objects: I cluttered up my desk with old memos.
v.intr.
1. To run or move with bustle and confusion.
2. To make a clatter.

I am a packrat. I admit it. Always have been, always will be. Hopefully this is not a trait that my kiddos will inherit. I try, I really do, to get rid of the "stuff". The problem is there is a memory attached to EVERYTHING. And now that I am a mommy, I cherish memories more than ever before.

For example, I found these shoes in a box. They are not Gabby's first pair of shoes. They were not purchased for a special event. So why would I keep them? Who knows. But I did. And now I can't seem to let go of them. When I get a chance, I will dig up a picture of Gabby wearing them... but then Gary will remind me that I have a picture of her in them, so I don't need to keep them. I really do have a problem...

Here is a craft that Gabby made one afternoon with her Daddy. Gary took her on a Daddy/Daughter date to Lilliput. The store, which is now closed, was exploding with every craft supply that one could dream of. I was so excited to see what she would come home with... Oh the smile she had when she walked through the door with her creation draped over her shoulder. She was so proud. It hung outside our back door for months. I still can't tell you what it is.

But Gabby will discover it every now and then and will throw it over her shoulder and carry it around with the same smile she had the day she came home with it. How can I throw it away? Never.

This weekend I decided to tackle the third garage. Here is all the "stuff" that was holding the walls up. And after two days of blood, sweat and tears here is what Gary drove to goodwill... It really is just stuff... isn't it?!?!

Even though the truck was full to capacity, I still have all of my treasures... they will continue to fill my home and the memories will forever fill my heart...

2008-05-13T15:29:00.000-07:00

Two girls and a boy...

(wardrobe by Gabby)

2008-05-11T23:42:00.000-07:00

Gabby found a new mommy bird in our yard this morning!

2008-05-07T20:37:00.000-07:00

Gabby adores her teachers. Yesterday she asked if she could write them a note. She dictated her note to Daddy and he printed it out for her. Today she sat down on her own and wrote this letter. I took a picture of it before she delivered it to them.

Another Day... Another Bug

2008-05-07T19:01:00.001-07:00

Meet Cowliska, Gabby's newest insect. She find this friend on our stairs... Grammie and Pop Pop's bug house has been a HUGE hit around the Venezia house.

Growing up too fast.

2008-05-06T21:33:00.000-07:00

Sophie just started showing interest in writing her name. Today Gabby was working on Mother's Day cards and Sophie decided that she wanted to write her own name. I am so proud! I just wish she could stay little forever.

Gymnastics!

2008-05-06T21:17:00.000-07:00

The girls started gymnastics last week. Sophie is a Tumble Bug and Gabby is an Acro Tot. They absolutely love going! Here they are sporting their new outfits from Grammie.

Meet Antala

2008-05-06T15:42:00.000-07:00

My bug obsessed daughter, Gabby has been desperately seeking a new friend to place in her bug house. She discovered this interesting insect by her sandbox today.

Why we love our desert abode...

2008-05-05T21:59:00.000-07:00

Last week Gabby discovered this mommy bird and her nest in our backyard tree.

The next day we noticed babies.

On Friday Gary and the girls found a mommy quail and her babies feeding in our yard.

Then on Sunday Daddy found quail eggs in our yard.

We will keep you updated on the babies!

Jack Jack is 5 months!

2008-05-04T22:38:00.001-07:00

Jack Jack is 4 Months

2008-04-01T23:15:00.000-07:00