The Year in Review

So it is a few hours before the end of 2009 and I decided to take a quick and brief look back at the year. Overall it was a good one. We have a roof over our heads, food on the table and we all are in perfect health- so we have nothing to complain about.
Gabi lost her first (and second) tooth, started reading, started Sunday school, started Girl Scouts and continues to be an amazing daughter. Aidan moved out of the toddler bed and now has a big boy bed, is talking up a storm, went to his first movie, he is enjoying reading books rather than eat them, and is always ready with big wet kisses. Tony is happy at the bank and I myself faced my biggest challenge...changing grades from Kindergarten to First.
We did lots of amazing things as a family. We were fortunate enough to have the Weissberg's come visit in Feb. for my birthday and for Gabi's first show production. We got to fly to Pa. to visit with the Calabretti's for a week and be with family. We went to see the Liberty Bell and go to the Crayola Factory. Then again in June, I took the kids to Florida to visit my mom and dad. The kids experienced Disney World for the first time, go to the beach and aquarium. We got to spend the 4th of July in Lake Havasu, be with our amazing chavurah and spend time together.
It was a great year but I am excited to see what lies in the future for the Calabretti's in the months ahead.
One exciting event will be that in 2010 Tony and I will celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary and we are going away WITHOUT the kids (something we have never done before). I am going to yet 2 more U2 concerts. Most importantly we get to watch Gabi and Aidan (and of course Towson) continue to grow and amaze us.
May the new year bring amazing things for all of us.

Hanukkah, 2009

We made it! Another successful Hanukkah has come and now is quickly gone. The kids had lots of surprises and received great gifts from the Weissberg's and Calabretti's. Here is a quick recap of our first four nights. Night One: the family received the Wii from the Weissberg's. It was a nice treat to have the kids open it over Skype so my parents can witness the screams for themselves. Night Two: we surprised the kids with new bedsheets. When they got upstairs to put them on their beds the real surprise was in their rooms. They both got new beds. Gabi got a full size captains bed and Aidan got Gabi's old twin bed.
No more crib/toddler bed for him :( Night Three: Zhu Zhu pets for both. Night Four: Easy Bake Oven for Gabi and loads of cars for Aidan. The rest of the nights the kids made out like bandits. They both got tons of videos, Wii games, clothes and lots of books (courtsey of the Calabretti's). They were completely spoiled by friends and family alike. It was a Happy Hanukkah, but now it is time to relax.

Pictures: A surprised Aidan walking into his "big boy" room for the first time, Gabi's new bed and the kids opening the Wii.