11 months!

This time last year we were waiting to travel back to bring our kiddos home, today we are in the full swing of life! It will be their first Thanksgiving! We Just wrapped up the crazy months of Birthdays, 4 kids within 3 weeks! Milly is next in January. I am NOT looking forward to the cold and the snow but the kids love to play outside in any weather. Everyone is doing great in school and involved in lots of extra stuff. Here is glimpse at the happenings...

Baking with Grandma

Big birds 1st Halloween

Tommy is 6!

Crazy Mo

Halloween 2011

My handsome boys at their friend arty

One other great event was Tommy and Milly got dedicated at church:) With family and friends present in front of a congregation of about 2000 people we vowed to raise our kids to know God and to lead them on the right path towards a life of following and trusting Jesus. See above video

TOMMY

Just call me NO TEETH:)

He is doing great in school! Math and reading are his favorites along with gym class of course.
He is such a social kid, I never would've saw that coming! He loves to hang out with any kids and he is always on the go. The minute his head hits the pillow he crashes! He is trying out basketball and preparing for his schools Turkey Trot race! He is very competitive! He is also very sweet! He loves any kind of sport and will watch anything sports related on TV..he is actually worse than his dad! Volleyball..golf..anything! Do Not go near the TV when the Bills are playing he will be very mad:)

 MILLY

My beauty! She is full of life..happy..sweet and silly! She is loving school and wishes she could go more often. I would say even though we are together all the time she is Daddy's girl. She told me I need to get a job so Daddy can stay home with her:) She loves to dress up and I have a lot of fun doing so! I go through so many hair bows I decided to start making them for her! Here is a look at Milly's month

Baking with Grandma

Yes the pumpkin had to have a patch too;)

Modeling one of our homemade headbands

her new do

10 months

Well this is looking like a trend me posting late but at least I didn't forget! Life is busy ya know! This month is the crazy month of birthdays in the Alleca house....First Cesca on the 7th then Matteo on the 15th then Tommy on the 24th! This will be Tommy and Milly's first Halloween so it will be fun to see their reaction to everything! The boys had a combo friend party at the bowling ally and had lots of fun! Milly well she is Miss personality as usual getting taller every day! Here is a look at month 10..

Explore n more children's museum

Butterfly Milly

My handsome boys at their bowling party

Francesca 14...Matteo 8!

9 months ( a little late)

Back to school has certainly kept us busy plus soccer so I'm a little late! School is in full swing and we are in the back to school groove. Did my organization last past the first week...uh kind of:) Soccer is over at the end of the week but Tommy is not happy about it. We are all looking forward to a break. Time is flying by and the kids are transitioning awesome! We are so blessed we have not had one issue, I'm praying we only hit minor speed bumps along the way. It makes me sad to think their language is gone not one word remains! It is amazing how quickly a child can change. Here is a peek at our past month..pictures of Tommy are hard to come by..he tells me No all the time:)

TOMMY

Boy is he loving school!!!! He is Mr Social too! Making lots of friends in school and at soccer. Offense is his favorite position on the field but he is equally good at defense. It is so much fun to watch him play. He discovered football this month too! We took him to his first Bills game and UB Bulls game. Most of my kids are more interested in the food at these events but Tommy is into the game asking lots of questions. He even has his favorite player..Mr Jackson! Sports are definitely going to be his thing. This kid is completely out of his shell now!



First Bills game

 


Milly

Milly is loving school! Her teachers are floored at how amazing her English is! They had no clue she had only been here for 9 mths or that she knew no English before then.We have started doing some more playgroup activities to keep busy while the kids are at school. We went apple picking for the first time, I laughed as she called a horse a dog! I had to explain she had never seen one before! It is so much fun seeing them experience things for the first time! Halloween will be another first for both of them..I'm sure once they see that you get candy they will understand very quickly!



"Is This a Dog?"





 

School Starts and new beginnings

This year is a big year for our kids!! Francesca started High School..Marianna started Middle school..Tommy started Kindergarten and Milly started Pre-k! Matteo he is in 2nd this year. Everyone had a great 1st day and they are still loving it a week later! I cant believe I am a mom to a High schooler! Yikes!! I also cant believe we have kids in 4 different schools!! It is going to be a very busy year for sure. I am so proud of myself 1 week in and I'm still organized! I knew going into this school year it was going to get crazy so we had to be way more organized! Clothes and shoes layed out the night before..lunches packed the night before. Last year I was ironing clothes in the morning and packing lunches as the ran out the door..I am NOT a morning person at all so the less I have to do in the morning the better:) I pray I can stick with it all year!! Here are all the kiddos on their first days:

Francesca 9th grade

Francesca actuallly did her sisters hair for the 1st day:)

Marianna 6th grade

Love this!

Matteo 2nd grade

Tamirat kindergarten

Million's first day of Pre-K

So many things have changed in the last couple years so no surprise that God would lead us in more new directions!!! Change is a good thing right?! Really our family is adjusting to 5 kids for starters..it is a daily learning process. The kids are all learning to be more responsible in their new schools and I'm trying to learn how to parent a teenager! This past year has kept us very busy and because of that we lost sight of what our #1 priority should be..GOD! Certain things such as..life and Softball took over! After a long hard look and lots of praying my husband decided to stop coaching and Marianna decided to stop playing. Alot of you may think so what! This was a major time commitment that affected our children our marriage and our walk with God. Basically we went to church when softball didn't interfere(which is from May-Aug) and that is NOT right and we were seeing the effects! So we are putting God back in the right spot #1!! Back on EVERY Sunday..Cesca is now attending the High school night and we for the first time ever are joining a small group bible study! To those who missed it..without God things just Don't work!! It is not about when you can fit him in! What were we teaching our kids..all the wrong stuff but luckily today is a new day in God's eyes and a renewing of our family and our faith!
Other newness....a new job! Not me but my husband! After much discussion and prayer he decided to just jump with both feet! How else do you do it right! The biggie he has worked with family for 10yrs and got a salary...now straight commission!! Yikes! Surprisingly we are at complete peace..when you go the way you know God is leading you there is no reason to stress! 2 years ago I never would've imagined anything the way it is..but I would not change a thing! I look forward to many more new and crazy things! I am so getting used to doing things that make people think we are crazy! I love our crazy life!

Home 8 months

This summer has flown by..the kids are having so much fun! Lots of firsts!!! First time at amusement park, first Snow cone! First time at the Fair, First time riding a rollercoaster! These kids will try anything!!! I love it! School will be starting in September so we are going to enjoy the rest of what is left of summer!

8 mths home

Tommy:
Not a surprise to any of us that you are afraid of nothing!!! First time on the kiddy rides you said "This is Stupid"! Then you pouted when you weren't tall enough for the big rides! Next time lifts in the shoes I guess:) Swimming..bike riding and playing with your friends are your favorite things to do. You don't sit down very often! Here is a small look at this past month..

Milly:

Boy are you a talker! Everyone we meet marvels at how well you talk! Still our silly Milly everyone fights over spending time with you! Your eye is improving so much! We are now at 20/70! Dr is hoping we can get to 20/40! You nap without complaining you eat great and are very well behaved for a 3yr old. You also enjoyed your first amusement park rides! This has been a very fun filled summer!

A few more shots: