Marcus turns 17, December 29th!!!

On his birthday his Uncle John came up and took him, Alex and Bruno shooting. Marcus thought that was pretty cool and told everyone "I shot my first gun today". It was the highlight of his day, thanks Uncle John!!

We took him out to dinner at El Gitano where they put a big sombrero on his head and sang him Happy Birthday.

At home we didn't sing Happy Birthday, he's too cool for that. Here he is with his friends having cake. It's hard to believe our baby boy is 17 years old, where does the time go??

Christmas Day

I was a wake at 5:00, Nicole at 5:30 to use the bathroom. Much to Alex's bafflement we all went back to bed. I couldn't go back to sleep so got up at 7:00, Alex says it torture to make a kid sit there and look at all the gifts but to not be able to open them. The rest of the family got up at 8:00. Opening our stockings is my favorite part. Here Nicole finds a DS game in her stocking. She's thinking she's going to have to play it on Marcus' DS, but little does she know that Santa brought her one! Alex and Marcus get stuff for their guitars.

Santa brings Alex Guitar Hero 3 for Wii. Here's Marcus checking out his roadside emergency kit. You never know when you're going to get your beemer stuck in the snow or mud. Bruno helps Nicole with her very own PINK DS.

Nicole doesn't seem too excited to be getting clothes, but they're so cute! Marcus likes his new leather jacket that Nonna bought him.

Christmas Eve

Traditionally, our family goes to Michelle's Mom's for Christmas Eve. We were planning on going and having our first Christmas Eve at her new house in Ferndale, but sickness intervened. Nicole had the flu. It sure seems that there hasn't been many Christmas's when someone wasn't sick. She felt o.k. she just had terrible diahrea.....for 5 days. She did enjoy opening her gifts from Grandma and cousin Dani. Since we weren't prepared to make dinner Bruno went to the store and got stuff to make tacos, the kids' favorite. After dinner we watched a movie, then everyone went to bed and waited for Santa to arrive.

Weekend in Seattle

December 13th Bruno and I went to Seattle with 3 other couples for NECA business. While the guys were in meetings we ladies had in-room massages, and just plain old relaxed. After the meetings got over we all headed to El Goucho's for dinner. It was fabulous!

In the morning after a light breakfast we walked down to Pike Place Market and gnoshed our way through there. Then headed back downtown for some shopping. That evening our chapter's Christmas party was at the Canlis, which is where this picture was taken.

Our tree and the second snow of the year

Decenber 9th****

Nothing says "Christmas" more like decorating your tree when it's snowing outside! It snowed for several hours, but it only lasted the day. But it was pretty while it lasted.

Nicole goes to a bowling party

On December 8th her classmates Colin and Carson had a birthday party at the bowling alley. Nicole has gone bowling many times, but has always used the little cheater ramp. This time, she went all out and bowled like a big kid. What form she has!! Must be all that Wii bowling.

Christmas tree hunting

Having a really busy weekend ahead of us we snuck off work early and took all the kids to Stanwood to Alan Acres to find a tree. Considering how picky I am about finding the "perfect" tree it amazes me how quickly we find just the right one. I think we were in and out in less than a half an hour. We went home and got it all set up. But decorating had to wait till another day.

On to the Nutcracker

After a good night's sleep we ordered room service, which Nicole got a major kick out of. We rode the Monorail to the Seattle Center and got to listen to my nephew James play with his school band. After the music was done we went to see the Nutcracker. Nicole's teacher had done a really good job preping the kids for two weeks prior to the show so Nicole was up on the story and the music. She really enjoyed it.

It was a great time and we look forward to many years of Mom/Daughter get aways.

Girls over-nighter to Seattle

On December 5th Nicole and I went to Seattle for a girls over-nighter. We stayed at the Parmount Hotel, did some shopping, rode the carousel at Westlake Center and she sat on Santa's lap at Macy's. After a fun dinner at Pacific Place we headed back to the hotel to relax and jump on the bed.

Decking the halls

On Sunday we got all our Christmas decorations out and decorated the house. We have three little fake trees that each of the kids get to put one in their rooms. Marcus has the tallest tree and he decorates his with Coca-Cola ornaments, Alex has the middle tree and he decorates his with sports ornaments, and Nicole has the smallest tree (which she wasn't too happy about this year) and she decorates hers with Hello Kitty and Dora ornaments. We won't get the family tree until next weekend.

Ho ho ho, and Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving Day at Tony and Teresa's

Even with a four month old baby, Tony and Teresa hosted Thanksgiving for 23 people. And what a superb job they did too!

From top left: Marcus, Jeffery, baby Tony, James, Nicole and Alex.

Marcus wanted to hold baby Tony and when he got him Tony started crying. Here's Nonna giving Tony a much needed nap. And Teresa and baby Tony, aren't they cute!!

Alex turns 15!!

November 18th Alex turned 15. He had three friends come over on Saturday, they played football, basketball and many games of XBOX. He got lots of hats, five to be exact. How many hats does one head need? According to Alex, a lot!! He got the much coveted Phillies hat, two NY Yankees hats, a Detriot Tigers hat and an Arizoma Diamondbacks hat. The Phillies hat is in honor of a schoolmates brother, who is a pitcher for the Phillies. And he got a Wii. They had a blast! His friends' XBOX was hooked up on one tv in his room, and we rolled the old big screen in there too and hooked the Wii up to that. What a hoot! The boys spent the night and we had a big breakfast in the morning. They all had a good time.

Go Seahawks!!

During high school football season I was taking Alex and one of his friends to an away game and Nicole came with me. She knew we were going to a football game and desperately wanted a football helmet. I told her it wasn't like going to the Mariner's where you could pick anything out at the gift shop. So for her birthday she got a Seahawks outfit. Now on Sunday's when the Seahawks play she either puts on this uniform or her Seahawks jersey. Sometimes, you just can't always have a Princess......that's what happens when you have two big brothers!

Halloween at the Padilla's

If you can't tell Nicole was a princess for Halloween. I was so grateful she decided not to be a firefighter again! Not that there's anything wrong with that, but after having two boys I was really looking forward to "girly" costumes. We got it this year!! Here's Alex channeling his inner Bob Marley, we actually think he looks more like Whoopi Goldberg than Bob. But he's Bob Marley and that's the story he's sticking to.

Carving the pumpkins

Nicole and I went to the pumpkin patch after soccer practice on Oct. 23rd. Then we carved pumpkins on Oct. 28th. Nicole's pumpkin had a ghost on it, mine was a kitty with a star and a moon, and Alex's said "wicked".

Alex's marching band debut

Alex is a Freshman this year at Mount Vernon High School, he plays tuba in the school's band. He is one of three tuba players, but he was the only one to show on Friday. It was MVHS's Homecoming game against Sedro Woolley (we won!) and the band marched during half time for the first time this year. The wind was a force to be reconned with and Alex had a hard time holding his tuba up, playing and marching in formation at the same time. But he did a great job! And he looks smashing in his uniform :-)

What Marcus does in his free time

If he's not at school or working, he's playing XBOX 360. His favorite is either the newly released Halo 3, or Guitar Hero II. He can't wait for Guitar Hero III to come out on the 28th. Here he is playing GH2, to "Rock this Town". I must admit, it is a pretty fun game! Just push the right triangle below for a preview.

The fish are biting on the Skagit

Bruno and Alex went fishing this weekend and brought these silvers home. It was a beautiful day to be on the river! The fishing bug has been caught, now Alex wants to go all the time.

If it's Saturday, it must mean soccer!

What a beautiful day for a soccer game! Cool morning with soaking wet fields, gotta love it! Nicole scored her first two goals last week while we were in San Francisco. Here she takes the ball away, goes down for the goal! Yeah, I got to see this one!!

Off to work

Marcus is off to another day at Taco Bell. He's been working there a few weeks now, but up until this weekend has been having to drive to Oak Harbor for training. This weekend he works at the store in Mount Vernon. He seems to be liking it, and has lots of friends that work there too.

More San Francisco

Dinner at Morton's before going to see Dana Carvey at the Masonic Temple Auditorium.

The Streets of San Francisco

Bruno and Michelle took their first "long" vacation away from all the kids for the first time since before Nicole was born. They visited San Francisco along with 6,000 other Electrical Contractor's. The weather was spectacular, the food good, and as always the friends were enjoyable to be with. Oct. 4-9th.

Top: Bruno and Dave sample grapes at a winery in Napa.

Middle: It was a beautiful day to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Bottom: Having lunch with our good friends, Pete and Nancy, in Little Italy. Buon Appetito!