Merry Christmas!....

Merry Christmas Jammies!

Just wouldn't be right without them! 

Christmas at the Arboretum................

It just wouldn't be Christmas without making a trip to see the 

12 Days of Christmas at the Arboretum!

 Yes, love finding a kissing booth in the middle of the park!

 Little Adeline's first Christmas....

and what a trooper to hang out on this chilly night!

 Big girls need to ride sometime too!!

Our Crazy Family......

There is one in every crowd and in this crowd it is Uncle Bergy....

ALWAYS!

 And the little ones think he is hysterical.

I guess any adult who thinks dressing up like the Elf on the Shelf is fun deserves a laugh or two.

 It takes a village to fill these giant stockings for these kids...but we always manage!

At one time each of these kids fit inside their stockings...

and then they grew.

 Brooklynn is the manager of the adult gift exchange...

where there is always at least one furry throw blanket...

and the random gifts from Aunt Judy that we always try and avoid.

 Oh you precious girls.

You are what make Christmas fun.

Thank you Brian for being a good sport and hanging out with this crazy family.

It makes Sara's holiday!

Happy Birthday Matthew Joseph!.....

What a big day for our precious first grandson.

He has been such a joy and as always, this first year has flown by.

What a perfect addition to his beautiful family.

His sisters adore him.

He is smothered by hugs and kisses every waking moment.

He is gentle, laid back, and loving.

He simply goes with the flow.  I guess that is what happens when you are number three.

Boy toys are suddenly appearing in a house full of dolls and doll accessories.  

Cowboys boots are a must.

And a pink car would never do.

A new blue one must be added to a garage full of bicycles, scooters, and battery powered ride ons.

I am not sure who you most resemble.

I think you are just uniquely you and that is a good thing.

You have been a gift.  You are not just the promise that there will be a continuation to the Shubzda name but a young man who will write his own story.

I hope I am around for many years so I can see that story develop.

Roman Holiday......

 The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore

 And a stroll to....

 the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterno.

 Entering into this beautiful basilica though the Holy Doors.

 And a stroll back through the beautiful streets of Rome.

I may never leave!!

When In Rome!......

 Take a taxi, the a bus, walk, but do not drive!!!

First observation was that the parking space were limited and the traffic was insane.  

New York City cannot compete with the amount of cars squashed onto a roadway in Rome.

 Ah, but the waterways...beautiful!!!

 And the architecture...beautiful.  New mixed with ancient and it was blended so well you could not tell the difference.

 And again, the streets narrow and the traffic unreal!

 Even the most mundane was breathtaking.

 One of our first stops was the Catacombs.

 The surrounding gardens were just perfect.

 The interior was damp and truthfully a bit scary.  We were told not to loose track of our guide while we were underground for if we did we might not find our wy out.  That got my attention.

 The upper floor of the Catacombs held a chapel and open areas for prayer.

Another memorable visit was to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.  It is an amazing structure built over the tomb of the apostle St. Paul.

A piece of wood that is believed to have been part of the manager of Jesus was beautifully displayed in the lower part of the basilica.

An Italian water fountain...

And a walk through some more of the ruins of ancient Rome...

on our way to the Colosseum!

Amazing!

Standing since 80AD it is the ancient version of our giant stadiums!

There were periods in the history of the Colosseum where 9000 animals were killed by gladiators in less than 100 days!

Travel buddies!

And armed guards!