It's Beginning to Look a Like Christmas at the Ricotta's

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I LOVE this time of year I can't believe how quickly it came though. Well I have been
trying to soak up as much Christmas as possible for the past 22 days, and I will
continue to bask in this Christmas magic until the 25th. I have been listening to
Christmas music constantly, have watched a couple Christmas movies (I still have 4 must
watch movies on my list though I better get going), have been spending time with the Fam, and many
other wonderful seasonal activities.


I love decorating my house for Christmas every year I add more stuff. This year for my kitchen table I bought these vases and filled them with ornaments!

On Sunday I made about 100 Sugar Cookies! So Fun.









































Saturday Calogero and I went out with two of our FAVORITE people in the WORLD (Shane and Ashlee Brown) for our annual Christmas dinner. This year we went to The Melting Pot. After dinner we tried to go and see the lights at Temple Square but dangit they turn them off at 10:00 way to freakin early people so we got right to the gate when they went off, perfect timing as usual. So we walked around the Plaza instead. It was still very pretty.









































































There are a couple other fun things I have done this December that I totally forgot to take pics of. Dinner with my wonderful friends and their husbands last Saturday, Christmas lights and Winder Dairy Farm with the Fam last night, a big holiday dinner at my house last week. Man I hate how forgetful I can be with the photos, oh well.
I wish you all a blessed and joyful Christmas!

Indianapolis

Well get out your magnifying glass and check out our pics from Indy! Sorry being the total space case I am turning into I totally forgot my camera for our trip. Who does that!? I was so ticked at myself.

So I had to steal these off of Brooke's Facebook page. Well a couple of weeks ago Calogero and I went to Indianapolis, Indiana to visit the Collie's. I have been dying to see my wonderful and hilarious friend Brooke since the summer so you can imagine I was extremely excited.
Let me tell ya I enjoyed Indy the houses are amazing, the trees are huge and beautiful, and we ate great food everyday. Where else can you have two steaks and a man sized shake in one night? (inside joke sorry)

Our weekend consisted of a lot of wonderful relaxing, a ton of uncontrollable laughing, and an amazing Colts vs Patriots football game! Brooke's husband is a receiver for the Indianapolis Colts so we were able to sit front row on the 15 yard line baby! Thank you guys what an experience. I couldn't stop screaming it was such an intense game.

Thanks for a great weekend Brooke we had such a great time. I can't wait to see you again soon and I love you loads!

What have I been up to?

The last month of summer was a BLAST! I had a ton of fun with my friends and family. I absolutely LOVE summer. I am so not ready for it to come to an end but these chilly mornings lately are just testifying to the undeniable change in the weather that is on our doorstep. I hope we have a really long fall. So here are some pics of what I have been up to lately since I have been sucking it up on the blogging. You know how it is you just get so busy doing all of the fun stuff outside you don't have much time for the computer.

Royal Family Kids Camp 2009! (this is a camp for Utah Foster Children I have had the opportunity to be involved with this camp for the past 11 years God has really given me a heart for this amazing kids) This year was such a blast and it just flew by. I am in there somewhere along with Andrew and Matthew as well.

I was so excited I finally had the opportunity to go and watch my friend Tami in a Rodeo she ropes and she rocks at it just so you know. She is the gorgeous blond one. Love ya Tam thanks for inviting us.

I had to say see ya soon, not goodbye to my favorite friend Brookers who moved to Indy for her husbands job. He plays for the Indianapolis Colts I miss her that girl can make me laugh I will tell ya what... I can't wait to see ya in November. GO COLTS (even though the Jets are my team) Love ya Brookie!

So Calogero, Shane , Ashlee and I did a Super Sprint Tri at the end of August. It was fun and I would definitely do it again next year but I really need to work on my running. Ash kicked butt and came out first in our group of four followed by Shane, Me, and then Calogero.

My Dad celebrated his 58th Birthday on August 26! Happy Birthday Daddy! Love ya.



















Jennie and I hosted a Baby Shower for Lacey at my house a couple of weeks ago and we had a great time! We had almost everyone there (we missed ya Gentri) that hasn't happened in forever. As most of you know Lacey has had her little girl since then and she is beautiful. Congrats Lacey and Jeff you two make adorable babies!





























I turned 25 a couple of weeks ago on September 11th! I can't believe I am quarter of a century old, well at least I don't feel old yet hopefully that never happens. This is actually my second birthday cake out of 3. My Mom made me my first one, my Grandpa gave me this cute little one, and my boss and his wife gave the a little cake also they were all so good! Holy crap that is a lot of cake huh. Well I didn't eat it all by myself just in case you were wondering but I did my fair share that is for sure.

Cunliffe Family Vacation!

In July my parents the lovely Jerry and Cindy Cunliffe took Calogero, Andrew, Matthew, and Me on vacation to San Francisco and Monterey California. We had a really good time together even in the ridiculously cold weather in Monterey. I laughed a ton my family is hilarious and I know that sounds like a biased opinion but it is true folks I PROMISE. Almost threw up in our rented mini van like 50 times. (don't rent mini vans on vacation it sucks for your passengers yuck) Got up close and personal with some wild ocean animals. Ate some really good food and just all in all had a good time. Thanks Mom and Dad for a great Family Vacation! Here a TON of pictures from our trip: When we got to San Francisco on Saturday we walked around down by the wharf for a few hours on the sidewalk there was this huge group of I think I counted at least 30 people adults and children playing fiddles and violins together. It was so crazy people just kept walking up with their cases and joining right in. See that tiny little girl she was playing!
















Ok so we went to lunch at this restaurant with glass windows all around it and kept hearing people on the sidewalk scream and then a huge crowd would start laughing. So we are all staring at what we think is a bush but no there is a man holding these branches and he just pops out and scars people walking by. Simple but so hilarious we watched for well over an hour. Our waiter says he has been doing this for at least the last 6 years if not more.





















We had the best crab cocktails at the wharf I wish I could eat one right now!





































My Dad, Andrew, Matthew, and Me went on a submarine tour from WWII. It is crazy how long they lived in those submarines and and with no showers I might add.

















Me and my Daddy!






























Our First Day in Monterey or as we fondly called it Mordor. (Because it was always cloudy and cold.)

















































Those are seals!

We did a scenic drive around Pebble Beach it was beautiful. Here is Calogero just itching to play a little golf.

We went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium it was really great! This picture didn't turn out well but there was a shark swimming around behind Calog... this is him being terrified. In case your not aware sharks are his worst nightmare he can't even swim in the ocean they terrify him so much.

Andrew eating some CRAB!

We went over the pier one day and there was this seal just sitting in this guys boat, isn't he cute.

We took a 3 hour drive on Wednesday to go and see the Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California. It was so worth the drive I won't go into crazy detail but it is this beautiful castle built in 1919. My family and I really enjoy history and this was just such a cool and amazing place you totally felt like you were in Europe.

That is one of the swimming pools.

On our way back to San Fran we stopped at Muir Wood to see the Giant Redwoods. These pictures do not do this gorgeous Forest justice.

On our last night with my parents (they went home early for a wedding) they took us to our favorite place to eat in San Francisco. BOBS STEAKHOUSE at the Omni Hotel. I LOVE steak like seriously LOVE it! As does the rest of my family and if you ever go to San Fran make reservations here take my word their steak in phenomenal and the huge sweet carrot that they serve with it is to die for!

Me and the Boys explored San Fran on Friday and ate everywhere, shopped, and goofed around. Here we are in China Town.

On Saturday morning before our flight home we took a steep but nice walk up to Coit Tower. You can see everything from there.

Love you Cunliffe's and our Italian addition I had a great week with all of you and I can't wait for out next Family Vacation!