A season of Thanksgiving

I know that my last post was not very positive about blogging. I admire people who do it faithfully and spend time and effort to keep it updated, positive and uplifting and I don't think I could do that.
However, I feel that because I have so many good people that I love and live so far away, I need to post pictures, thoughts and events so I can share my life with them. That also means that I have to post in both languages.
In this time of Thanksgiving I feel very lonely for my family in Italy and I owe it to them to keep them more updated. I have been pondering how blessed I am to have had such a loving mother and father and a very spirited and courageous sister who is my hero for the way she has been able to handle a life of trial. I am also grateful for wonderful cousins, uncles and aunts. I never wondered if I was loved, I knew I was and I was always surrounded by great family members who reminded me of that. I am also extremely grateful for a husband that gives me so much love, respect, devotion and joy. I have had many disappointed in life especially in the last year but I can always count on Larry to buoy me up and give me hope. I feel that as long as I have him with me I can handle anything.
I know that I have been given much and I thank my Heavenly Father for that every day.
I wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Well, after only four entries this summer I have decided that blogging is just not my thing. Honestly who am I kidding? I have very little time, do not own a dissent camera to take amazing pictures like some people who's blogs I really love, and I just don't have many words to describe the daily things that are going on in my life. The best part about this is that I am not even feeling guilty about quitting. I am beyond that because I do so many things that I can't possibly be guilty about dropping something. I know that blogging is a great thing to allow extended family and friends to be part of your life and I might do some of the major events although I have not yet posted our big celebration for Isabella's 12th birthday which was a big deal since she moved out of primary and into young women. So with this said, I will say that my summer has been great so far and full of good things.
My sister came and we had a great visit, my kids went to church camps and had a good time. I have had time to read, cook and enjoy good company. My garden is plentiful and I am looking forward to canning and eating fresh tomatoes. Larry and I have had a great getaway and we are planning another one soon, this time we will take the kids and have a mini family vacation.
I have 23 days left of summer vacation and then I am going back to work. I want to have time to do some things around the house before I go back but I am grateful for my job that allows me to work around my kids schedule.
I am grateful for my life and for a loving Heavenly Father that gives me blessings, even sometimes in the form of trials and I hope to be able to grow and learn from them.
Until next time......... Daniela

After a month of having extra people in my home I am back to "just " my family. It was great to have my sister, her husband and my older son visiting but it was a lot of work to feed, entertain and go places with 8 people.
We did some fun things and lots of shopping which was fun for me but I am ready to go back to my routine and enjoy my summer peace before I go back to work.
Yesterday I took the kids to the lake and enjoyed reading a good book in the shade. It was very peaceful and rewarding to me.

Larry and I went to Devil's lake in Wisconsin for a couple of days. It was a camping trip and we stayed in the park overnight in our tent. I am not a camper but this was a very fun trip. We hiked the trails, biked and went swimming in this beautiful, crystal clear lake. I am looking forward to go back with the kids, I know they would absolutely love it. It was a great opportunity for us to spend time alone and enjoy nature at its best. The weather was perfect and I truly fell in love with this park.

As I said, Isabella went to girls camp last week and she had a blast. The theme of this year was "superheroes" and our ward choose Kung Fu Panda and they had an awesome flag and cute t- shirts. She also was part of a skit where she played a nerd and apparently had a very good debut and the leaders told me that she stole the show. Who knew!!! She is so quiet and shy.
I am glad she enjoyed herself.

My sister arrived on Wednesday. She and her husband will be here for a couple of weeks and I am looking forward to spend time with them and go do fun things. This week we just went shopping and cooked together a couple of dishes, some good and some not so good. Also, Isabella came home from her very first girls camp and she had a great time. She will be in young women in a couple of weeks. Where has the time gone?? I don't have any more children in primary!!!!