Theme Thursday: Everyday

He asks everyday if he can dance on his bed, it's more like jumping but he has a great time!


I never did get the chance yesterday to post a picture for Wordless Wednesday so I am throwing in a bonus. I played with this one in LightRoom and love the effect, looks like they are outside at night.


For more great EVERYDAY shots head over to Megan's at Mental Inventory.

Theme Thursday: Imagine

I imagine someday...


he will be an artist.


For more imagination head over to Megan's at Mental Inventory.

Theme Thursday

There is just something about their hands while playing that makes me grab the camera.


Do see more Theme Thursday's head over to Megan's atMental Inventory.

Theme Thursday: Passageways

This is a path outside (like you can't tell from the picture it outside) near my work.
It is a passageway to a much needed break from the indoors on a nice day.
I took a short walk yesterday by myself with the camera.
I did not make it far due to being on call and realizing I left my Blackberry (which is my leash) on my desk.
I was hoping to take more photo's but at last duty called and I had to return to the florescent lighting of the indoors.
I am hoping as the fall approaches to take more walks, camera in toe.



Head on over to Amy Jo's @ The Cheese Party for more passageways.

Theme Thursday: Sunny

When Amy Jo posted the Theme for Thursday would be Sunny I was excited. I immediately thought of taking a cool photo with a sun flare. Well, there has not been much sun around these parts since then so no flare for you.

I did snap a couple of (out of focus, poorly composed) shots of my two little sunshine's.

Here is Francesco first thing in the morning with his breakfast. We have to put the cereal box and the milk in certain places and the M&M dispenser had to stay "right there". I swear he has a hint of OCD, but he is cute (which is his saving grace why he's my sunshine). To top off the cuteness he calls that applesauce he is eating "apple-puss", even when I try to tell him the right way is still comes out "apple-puss".

This one, he is just so stinkin cute, how could he not be my sunshine!


Swing on by Amy Jo's over at The Cheese Party to see what other have for Theme Thursday.

Theme Thursday: Memories

End of May 2006 ~33 Weeks Pregnant with Francesco.



For more Memories head on over to Amy Jo's at Cheese Party.

Theme Thursday: DIY

About a month ago I attempted to make a cake from scratch for my FIL's Birthday. I wrote down the ingredients and the recipe a went out to gather my supplies. I purchased good vanilla ($10.99 for 4 ozs), cake flour, sweet butter etc.
I was so excited to make this Very Vanilla Cake. If all came out well I was going to use the same recipe for Nicolo's 1st Birthday cake. Well, something went wrong, the cake did not rise one bit. It took forever (1 1/2 hours) to cook and once it cooled it weighed a ton. It was a complete disaster, I was so disappointed. I had to quickly whip up a Betty Crocker cake for the party. That cake came out great and all was not lost.
I still couldn't believe the other cake was so bad. I went back to the recipe I wrote down and compared it to the original I found on line. Low and behold I transcribe incorrectly the amount of baking powder. I wrote 1/2 tsp when it called for 1/2 Tbsp. Yeah, I know, I know.
So since it was a mistake in the ingredients I thought I would try again, I really wanted to prove to myself I can make this cake. I also wanted to try it in the Giant Cupcake Pan. Thank to my friend over at Baked By Beanie who let me borrow the pan, I made another attempt at the cake.

These are the ingredients, see not that crazy. The only thing I did not have here which I will for Nicolo's cake is Vanilla Bean Paste so I added extra vanilla.

This is the lovely batter in the Giant Cupcake Pan.

See it actually rose this time! Yeah!

Isn't it just beautiful?

How cool is that?

It actually tasted great, I bet with the vanilla bean paste it would be even better. When we cut into it it still had a couple of spot that were not done. I think that had to do with me filling the mold so high. Next attempt I am not going to fill the mold so high and I am even contemplating adding a little more baking powder.
I will post a finished version of his cake on his Birthday. I have an idea about the decorating that I think will be great. You'll have to come back to see it.

Head on over to Stacy's for more Theme Thursday's.

Theme Thursday: Restful

I really did not think that I would be able to get a shot for this Thursday's Theme, restful is not a common occurrences around these parts lately. Let's just say, when my boys are teenagers and want to sleep all the time I will be reminding them often of the amount of sleep they have deprived me of (I am not kidding!) We go from one not sleeping through the night, to both not sleeping through the night.

So last night I was fortunate that they both were asleep at the same time for a few hours, I did mange to click off a few pictures. This is the best one, lets just say it was dark, I did not use the flash and the ISO was so high the noise was loud. I processed it quite a bit and this was my best rendition.


Shutter 1/4 sec.
F-Stop f/1.8
ISO 1600
Focal Length 50 mm
Flash - None

Just looking at this picture make me tired. Head on over to The Land of K. A. for more Theme Thursday: Restful.

Theme Thursday: Laughter

While stuck in the house during the snow storm we tried to keep two small energetic kids occupied. We moved from trains, to coloring, to cars, to puzzles, etc.
One activity that they both loved was setting up and knocking down the dominoes. Francesco was really good at getting them set up and Nicolo was amazing at knocking them down (LOL). They both cracked up every time the dominoes fell, so we did it over and over and over again.









Isn't it amazing how the little things in life can bring out the laughter. Head on over to The Land of K. A. for more Theme Thursday: Laughter.

Theme Thursday: Love

We have been hit with the sickness (a.k.a. stomach bug) here at I Miei Due Bambini. I guess I should say we were fortunate that only half of us were sick, that would be Nicolo and I. It was a long 3 days but it is now over and I pray it never comes back. I have barely looked at any blogs let alone sit down to post in so long. My reader is up in the 300's, maybe it will be a quite weekend so that I can catch up a bit with all my friends.

This Thursday Theme was LOVE. I picked this picture because I just love the crazy faces that Nicolo makes. This is just one of them that I captured. This was just the other day in the midst of all the sickness he still manages to make me reach for the camera.

Let me just say I LOVE the fact that he is now well! Happy Theme Thursday to all!

Head on over to Stacy's at The Land of K.A for more Love.

Theme Thursday: Winter Wonderland

We have been hibernating here over at Miei Due Bambini, we get up at dark and get home at dark.  I really wanted to take an outdoor picture but I just can't  seem to catch the day light.

This is Francesco first thing in the morning, note the time on the clock, that is a.m.

Head over to Stacy's for more real "Winter Wonderland"

Theme Thursday: Holiday Fun

If you have to stay home from daycare because you have a high (104) fever you might as well have some Holiday Fun decorating cupcakes.  This is all possible due to the wonderful properties of Children's Ibuprofen!

Head on over to The Land of K.A. for more Holiday Fun.

Theme Thursday: Togetherness

When Stacy posted that the theme this Thursday was togetherness I had all kinds of ideas. I never did get to capture any of them, but I found this one from the day after Thanksgiving. We were all still at my sisters house together and Nicolo just loved my sisters dog. This dog is happiest when she is being loved by the kids.

Head on over The Land of K. A. for more togetherness.

Theme Thursday: Storyteller

Francesco is completely enthralled with his trains. He talks not stop to Nicolò all the while telling him some kind of story. The one thing I can make out is that on occasion he cups his hand at his mouth and yells, "All a board!". He then tells Nicolò, "you say choo, choo!" Nicolò must do something right cause he then get a nice wet kiss on the check. Just too cute for words!

Head over to the The Land of K. A for more Theme Thursday

Theme Thursday: Fall

Head over to the The Land of K. A for more Theme Thursday: Fall

Theme Thursday: Idle

This is what I wish I was doing!

Head over to the The Land of K. A for more Theme Thursday: Idle

Theme Thursday: (Saturday Edition) Playtime

I know I am two days late with this Theme Thursday. We've had some crazy times here at Mia Due Bambini with my two boys! I'll save that story for another post. I was excited for this past Theme Thursday because I love to see my kids starting to play together. Every time there is even a remote possibility they are interacting with each other I grab the camera.

Here Francesco is showing Nicolò the art of stacking blocks.

I don't know what Nicolò is thinking but I just loved the expression on his face.

Again here is Francesco demonstrating how the baby gym operates.

And Nicolò is patiently watching taking notes.

Head over to the The Land of K. A for more Theme Thursday: Playtime

Theme Thursday: Friendship

I am hoping and praying that this friendship will last them their lifetime!

If the colors looked muted I did that on purpose, just playing with photoshop.

I thought it gave it a neat effect.

Head over to the The Land of K. A for more Theme Thursday: Friendship

Theme Thursday: Wonder

He is playing with a little squishy ball.

I always wonder why the simplest things make him the happiest.

Head over to the The Land of K. A for more Theme Thursday: Wonder!

Theme Thursday: Fashion

I am hoping this still fits this coming winter.

Head over to the The Land of K. A for more Theme Thursday: Fashion!