DCL2017!

We spent the weekend at Deep Creek Lake with the O'Malley's, Stotler's and Horne's. It has been a very mild winter with almost no snow but they snow gods sent just enough for the kids to have a good time!

Beautiful view from the house we rented

 the house had an indoor pool - so awesome!

 the adults may have made snow angels while in the hot tub ;)

 

our red neck cooler

 took a hike in the woods

 

 

 The boys made a great fire!

 

 Jack being quite resourceful when Daddy asked him to bring him a beer!

It's good to be 10!!

Happy Birthday, Jackson!! Can't believe you are double digits! We are so proud of the young man Jack is becoming - he is kind, funny and smart! He loves his sister, his dog(s), his iPod, riding his bike, playing Xbox, watching Master Chef Jr, old school cartoons and anything on Animal Planet.

This year we had a Game Truck come to the house for his party and 11 of his closest friends came over to celebrate and sleep over (what was I thinking!! LOL). They had a blast. I wish I would have recorded the entire night. They were daring each other to drink toilet water, pants'ing each other, did the mannequin challenge and stayed up until 3AM! It'll be a birthday he won't soon forget which makes it all worth it.

Celebrating with the family at his favorite Red Robin on his actual Birthday...

and his favorite, Chocolate Cookie with mint chips!

 The Game Truck!

 

 

 a few rounds of PieFace Showdown

 

 

 taking selfies

 a friendly game of football while they wait for their parents....

He bought a YogiBo with his birthday money

 

Happy New Year!

January was a blur - like most months but I digress...we had a tiny bit of snow but of course they had to get some sledding in....

 Gia & Grace

 

 

 Rocco took over Lexi's bed.....he has been pretty sad since she passed :(

 Hit up Slashdown on a cold Sunday - the girls had a blast going down the new slides!

 

 Mama went on a field trip to Walter's Art Gallery with Jack's class

 Celebrated Andrew's 40th!

Tony, Matt, Chris, Andrew and Dustin

 Gia loved getting her hair trimmed at Cartoon Cuts!

 

Merry Christmas!!

We had a great Christmas filled with tons of family time! It just always goes by way too fast! The tradition continued for us to host Christmas eve for the Williams clan.

Grandad, Gia, Jack and Grandma being silly!

 

 Gia, Ethan, Jack and Kayla

 Kyrstin, Gia, Ethan, Jack, Kayla and Auston

 Ethan LOVES getting cash!

 Love this!!

 the whole clan!

 Buddy the Elf and Poppy are ready for Santa!

Christmas morning we opened gifts and then Nana, Pops, Uncle Joey, Aunt Kristin and Josh came over for breakfast.

 

 

 We headed to Calvert County to hang with the Schwabs and Wilands....

Jack, Gia, Trent, and Renee

 Monday we headed to Aunt Liz's to celebrate with the rest of the Mansolillo's - I

 didn't get too many pictures.

Molly set a place setting for Uncle John...

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!!

Our Sweet Lexi

Our sweet Lexi went to heaven on December 12, 2016. We rescued Lexi from a rescue in Northern Virginia on March 26, 2003. We believe she was about 6 months old when we got her. She was so skinny and so scared of everything but she quickly came around and saw how much Tony and I loved her and would give her a lifetime home.

We lived in the townhouse back then and would walk her everyday, she loved to escape and we'd have to chase her all over the neighborhood, she loved to snuggle on the couch with us as long as a blanket was down and she loved to sun herself on our back deck.

Then we threw her world for a loop and moved to a new neighborhood, rescued Rocco, and had Jack & Gia but through it all she was the best dog ever. She didn't love any other dogs besides Rocco - they would run around our yard for hours, well Lexi would anyway, Rocco is lazy and would come back in.  Lexi would just sit out on the hill in our yard and watch everything going on around her, it was her happy place. The one thing that would bring her in from out there was the deli drawer - if she heard that open (no idea how she always heard it!) she knew cheese was in her future :)

On the Friday before she passed, we found out Lexi had a tumor on her heart that was bleeding - this was the most devastating news we could have received - it was so bad that the cardiologist asked if we wanted to put her down right then. We, of course, couldn't - we needed to tell Jack and Gia (hardest thing ever) and our family and friends. That weekend was filled with family and friends coming by to say goodbye to our sweet girl. She passed away right on the hill where she loved to be. 

We are still adjusting to her not being here with us but are so thankful for the 13 years we had with her. Rest easy great friend - we love you Lexi!

Here are a few pics from the weekend before she passed. She NEVER laid down in the car - she was always too anxious and would shake and lick the windows. This was her on the way to the vet, I knew something had to be terribly wrong :(