Mac Attack

Gasperini-Ville is now among the newest Apple owners!

Today we happily ventured into the world of the iMac... and are thrilled about it!!
My PC woes were settled by the GeekSquad. Apparently, it would have taken an additional $300 to salvage our old "hunk 'o junk". Better to reinvest and move on.

Thankfully, I'm happy to report they were able to save all of our files, photos and movies!
Hallelujah!!!

And I must say, it is really incredible to see what the Mac offers in terms of graphic capabilities, etc. Through iPhoto, I can make a photo book of family photos and send it off to printing. Amazing!

**If any of you techno-savvy folks have Mac tips to share, please pass them on!
In the meantime, happy Mac'ing!!
(And FYI, tomorrow we will be officially linked up to high-speed internet and back on the blogosphere regularly! Whew!!) Blessings...

Awestruck

"Is the dishwasher really this quiet?" -B-mama

"Can you believe this is our view from the dinner table?" -GG

"How incredible was your shower?" -B-mama

"Isn't it unreal to have such an open kitchen?" -GG

"I can't get over having the laundry room on the second floor!" -B-mama


I think it's safe to say we are head-over-heels in love with our new place... Praise God.
Hope you are well tonight.
Thanks, as always, for tuning in to life in Gasperini-Ville. God bless you.

Moving On Up

Today marks move-in day to our new house!!

Here's a look at some things we've been up to...

A little new home wrestling

Exploring, of course...

...complete with ample running.

Boy's room prepping and painting on Friday (finishing just in time last night!)

And did I mention we managed to squeeze in a wedding on Saturday? It was gorgeous! Notice the amazing cake below of Aspen mountain ski slopes. Are you kidding me?

What joy it has been pre-settling. Can't wait to write later "from the other side"...

God bless you and yours this Memorial Day! Thank you to all the brave men and women who have served our country tirelessly over the years--GG, Papa, Pappy, etc. included!

Recovering

Hello dear friends,

I had full intentions of writing an update yesterday, only to feel a complete and overwhelming fatigue take over my body in the wake of such life change and activity! We have definitely crammed a lot of life into a small space of time... :) At one point, GG commented that we needed to continue to have big events precede a move just so that we can have family in to help.

And did I say help? Oh my goodness, they were amazing! Mimi and Papa, Gramz and Pappy, and Aunt Jessica (my sis) were all in, lending a hand in the revelry of GG's graduation. The boys were in absolute heaven as were GG and I at having our parents together and getting to spend quality time with those we love the most! What a blessing that truly was. I definitely could have enjoyed a few more days of that...

Overall, we tackled the house closing in Virginia last Thursday, the graduation on Saturday/Sunday, the packing on Monday, the move on Tuesday, and the drive east on Tuesday/Wednesday! Whew! I'm tired just thinking back to it... Yet how good our Father in heaven is for giving us AMPLE reason and praise to be making such a life shift! We cannot give enough thanks to our Lord for His overwhelming goodness.

And... now we're here, forging a new trail for our little family. Today GG is painting (like he hasn't accomplished enough in the last week!) We decided last-minute to change the color of the boys' room from a beautiful pale green to a pale blue to match their bedding better. Meanwhile, the boys and I ventured over to the YMCA down the street for the first time today and they had a ball playing in the "Child Watch" while mama got in her workout fix! Only one hang-up: a bunch of belly cramps (probably due to my recent inactivity) made me worry I was in pre-term labor! Oh Lord! Thankfully all seemed to subside once we were back at the new house with food in our tummies...

After all, we do love a little drama here in Gasperini-Ville.
Nice to know some things haven't changed. :)

Hope you are all well and enjoying a blessed Friday.
Hugs and warmth to you from the land of Virginia. We are basking in its beauty.
Why not come and pay us a visit, why don't you?
God bless.

Sigh

Wonderfully exhausted.
Happily pooped.

We. made. it.
Can't wait to tell you more about it tomorrow.
Blessings and nighty tight!

The Grad Dad

We are so proud of our graddy daddy! :) Here are some glimpses of "the robed one" with cuties after full school Mass last night. What a blessing to attend a Catholic university...

Praise God, we're officially homeowners! God bless!! :)

Disclaiming :)

I'm writing you all a disclaimer now before the craziness begins...

Here is a glimpse of our next week:
-M's end-of-year preschool picnic and farewell
-a similar law school picnic and farewell tonight
-travels to and from Virginia for our house closing!! :)
-GG's graduation, complete with oodles of parties, brunches, last hurrahs, etc.
-many family members coming in to celebrate!
-packing and moving (thankfully done for us--my 28-week-prego body says, "Hallelujah!")
-officially saying farewell to Indiana and the midwest

As of next Tuesday, Gasperini-Ville will be permanently moving east. I can't believe it's "finally here", but isn't that always the way things go? We plan and plan for that one big event and then it comes and goes in a day... and things are never the same.

I love change when change happens for the right reasons.
I think this qualifies.
We are ecstatic to move forward with our lives and can't wait to report to you "on the other side". I'll do my best to update with pics, etc. while we are enjoying the next seven days! In the meantime, God bless and warm hugs!!

**Update Wed. 10pm: We've made it to VA and are getting ready for our closing tomorrow morning! How blessed we feel to have found a home in which to grow our beloved (and expanding) family! Thank you for your prayers and support!

Happy Mother's Day and...

Happy 6th Anniversary GG!!

All these fun reasons to celebrate packed into one day!

1 blissful wedding day back in Princeton, NJ on May 11, 2002

2 beautiful baby boys, filling our lives with laughter and love

3 years of the Army and law school, respectively, each offering challenges and adventure

4 beloved parents, encouraging and supporting us throughout our journey

5 years of "perfecting our craft" and growing more and more in love daily.

6 blessed years of marriage. Thank you, GG, for the best times of my life. I am complete when we're together. I love you!

Thanks for celebrating with us, everyone, and God bless you! Special love to you, mothers, for all of your tireless work! Blessings...

Techno Rejects

Good morning to you all. How are you on this blessed Saturday?
I hope this finds you well.

Gasperini-Ville is in good spirits this morning, despite the latest calamity--our desktop went "caput" yesterday! Much to my chagrin, I realized that we had yet to update all of our videos and photos from the last year.

Yes, I've been lazy.
Yes, I've been irresponsible (no updated virus protection for 3 years--yikes!)
Yes, I'm feeling fully guilty and aware of my shame.
Yes, I had to drag myself, two kids, and the desktop tower to the local GeekSquad and humbly ask for help. (Praise God for the man in the parking lot who offered to lend a hand with the huge machine while I maneuvered the kiddos and my belly safely! What a godsend!)
Yes, I had to pay hundreds of dollars for said help.
Yuck!!

Later on I had finally come to terms with all of this yuckiness when my search for our system disks turned up nothing... a big, fat NADA! Double yuck.

We are disorganized and irresponsible.
Now I am left to pray they can retrieve all the data from the hard drive and that the work necessary to fix things doesn't involve the system disks.
I feel like that's asking a lot. Especially during a time when there are far more important things with which our good Lord should be concerned. :) Lord, help me.

God help us all!
In the BIG and the small...
Hope you're enjoying a wonderful weekend.

The Taskmaster

We've been getting a kick out of M's newly learned hide-n-seek game lately. He has adapted his own set of rules to make the game more "fun" for all involved.

Hide-n-seek Rules (from the mind of a 3-year-old):

1. The 3-year-old "Taskmaster" is in charge. No arguing.

2. Mommy/Daddy have only 3 counts to hide ("Give us at least to 10!" we cry. No way. :)

3. Mommy/Daddy can only hide where the Taskmaster tells us to.

4. Mommy/Daddy must count to 10 while the Taskmaster hides.

5. The Taskmaster will hide in the same place every time--underneath the side table, covered by a pillow.

6. The Taskmaster will giggle excessively as Mommy and Daddy "attempt" to find him.

7. The Taskmaster reserves the right not to hide at all, but instead come running at the counter after counting is finished.

8. All players must shriek upon the game's ending.

lol. This is too fun. :)

God bless you today!!

Commencing Forth

As I write, GG is off to take his FINAL law school final! Hallelujah!!

We are rejoicing at the thought... and will really be rejoicing come 4pm today!

Way to go GG!! :)

Also, here are a few shots from a wagon outing yesterday. You'll see some updated B-mama sassy hair hi-lites along with some pics of our beloved boys... Enjoy! God bless!

A Great Morning!

Hello dear ones!

I am happy to report a wonderful visit to the doctor today and a negative ultrasound scan of the breast lump I found. The doc said he has "no reason to be concerned" and we're going to keep an eye on the spot as the pregnancy progresses. Thanks be to God and thank you for your prayers!

While lying on the scanning table waiting for the doctor to arrive, I have to say I found much comfort in offering you all up in prayer. Your prayer requests have been resonating inside my head and shooting forth heavenward as often as I'm able to shoot them! Just know you've been prayed for today... :)

And one last prayer concern, if I might add. This beautiful girl's story came to my attention via the blog of a friend of a friend. Her family is Christ-filled and seeking to find all sources of comfort through their trials. I would especially ask for prayer for Katherine's husband, Jay, and 7-mos-old son, James. Thank you.

Blessings to you today for a beautiful Monday!
Blue skies and light hearts are with us... Praise God!!

Gasperini-Ville Chatter

During storytime last night...

M: Mommy, what's that? (pointing to a blimp motor)

B-mama: That's a blimp motor.

M: That's a blimp butt.

B-mama: (laughter) I guess you could call it that.

**********************************************
While the family enjoys donuts after mass...

B-mama: Hey, I thought I would get some steaks to grill for next Sunday.

GG: What's happening next Sunday? (I look at him imploringly.)
To celebrate my return from the wedding in New Orleans?
It's not someone's birthday is it?

B-mama: Think real hard.

GG: Oh! It's our anniversary isn't it? (!!!!!)
What a great 7... I mean, 6 years its been. (!!!!!)

Oh my! :) God bless your Sunday! Thanks for all the prayer intentions...

Tandem Trouble

Keep those prayers coming! TGIF!

Prayer Changes Things

1) My grandfather, Mickey, received the news today of lymphoma. We are singing praises, though, in discovering it is one of the most treatable and curable kinds.

2) On Monday, I will be having an ultrasound to examine a breast lump. It is very similar to one I had before in my last pregnancy, but worrisome nonetheless.

There you have it--Gasperini-Ville vulnerability at its best;
vulnerability for which we would LOVE your prayers.

You have been prayer warriors for us on many fronts over the past year and we so appreciate it! Thank you!!

As of my last Sitemeter check, Gasperini-Ville fields 150+ readers-a-day (I know some of you are repeat viewers--thank you! :) So many of you I know so little about, yet I feel a strong need to pray for YOU. How can our family be lifting up your needs?

I know this may be asking a lot, but would you consider posting a comment with a prayer request? It can be something as simple as, "Please pray for John." How blessed we would be to commune with all of you in prayer... Thanks for your readership and thanks for your vulnerability. Let's encourage one another!

God bless!