MERRY CHRISTMAS-JOYEUX NOEL

My favorite music

For Isabella

Mother and Son...Soccer time!! Thank you so much for a wonderful evening!

Boston-Revelations againstLos Angeles Galaxy.
Hello David Beckham...

Four generations...

Bordeaux 2008! Family reunion!



My favorite girls! My Mom and Daughter Sandra...





and my Granddaughter Isabella! How cute is she!!!

















Isabella with Grandma's hat and Noninna's necklace! What a fashion expert already!
She knows the good spot to go...St Emilion!!










Where am I? Who are all these people?

All family? Really? WoW!!!!










Mmm!! Cream puffs! Papa can I have these at every meals?
















Isabella and Grand-Maman are getting to know each other. They already are wearing the same color. Grand-Maman, did you bring me a present?

Saturday chores at the Colantonios

Figs, figs and more figs!!!

Isabella, can you even see Nonno in the fig tree!

Also the new jacuzzi is awaiting installation...maybe next time you come to California.








Nonno's garden!!
What can we find in that overgrown mass of leaves...

The new crop...

Cucumber and tomato salad for lunchand Zucchini soup for dinner!

Here is Sly...still looking young and alert, so happy when we go play with him in his domain...the backyard!










Poor baby Java! She looks like she is in prison...
Can I come and play Sly?

For Princess Isabella

Just a song from Nonnina to Isabella!

What a wonderful family reunion week end!

Shall we go for a walk?



Here is little Isabella ...

Look at my boots!

Time for relaxation with Nonno...

Breakfast with Zia Sandra...


Look at these little feet!

Papa, Nonno and Zia Sandra taking a rest while Isabella just wonders what is going on...



But a little later she cannot resist taking a nap in Nonno's arms...
Yosemite Park in May!


Southern Californians going to the cold!!!!

Mother's Day

What a day! Not only did I have the pleasure of a phone call from the Bostonians at 8:00 a.m. but I did see them twice with the web cam in one morning. It is wonderful to see that they are doing so well and are very happy! And of course Isabella is cuter and cuter!
Late morning Franco and I met Sandra at her apartment and we left together to go on a hike in Newport Beach at Crystal Cove.


We were ready for a long hike...



And of course Franco had to play...

Along the way we had the surprise of discovering some creatures...
A Roadrunner...

And the last surprise of the day...


A 2 feet Red Rattlesnake...but have no fear the snake just wanted to give us a fright and then go its merry way!

After the hike we went down to the beach and by magic a very gourmet, classy, tasty lunch appeared and guess who the great chef was? My daughter Sandra!
Thank you so much Arnaud and Sandra for being such wonderful children and to make me feel like I am the luckiest mother on earth.

Another Sunday...

Our new addition to Franco's courtyard!
Wonder if anyone recognize this set?

Typical Sunday in California

Nonnina finally washed her car!








Isabella's Quack Quack are safe in California just waiting for a visit from their little friend!




A big hello from Sly, I missed you Isabella even so I was a little scared of you!






Zia Saya is taking care of her baby!



In his own way Nonno is saying "Hello"!
It was time for a Jeep check up.

When Isabella left...

Can you see cute and adorable little hand prints on the glass?
They belong to our sweet little Isabella.

She left these prints behind when she visited us last January and before I cleaned we had, Nonno and I, to take a picture so we would remember in the future how small she was at the time.


Pouvez vous voir les petites et adorables empreintes sur la vitre? Elles appartiennent a notre petite Isabella. Elle nous a laisse ses empreintes lors de sa visite en Janvier dernier et nous avons decide, Nonno et moi, de prendre une photo avant de nettoyer la vitre afin de nous rappeler comme elle etait petite!

"Potage Isabella"

When Isabella left for Boston, she left at Nonnina's place her last containers of Gerber food. What to do with these was the question?
2 Gerber containers of mixed vegetables,1 of sweet potatoes and 1 of squash.
After mixing all of these I added some onions, potatoes, leeks, red peppers, 2 cans of Roma tomatoes, a bag of mixed greens (left at my place by Jessica), chicken broth and a bag of frozen spinach...What a mix!
After cooking this mixture for one hour and adding some salt and pepper I was ready for a little taste. What a surprise! It tasted very good. And that is how "Potage Isabella" was created.

My first blog ever!

As family and friends leave to discover other parts of the world, we want to keep in touch at all times. Since the internet is now the easiest and fastest way to connect I will try to maintain this site with blogs and pictures, especially for our little one, Isabella.