CASTAGNA'S IN CALI

Christmas Day 2009

2010-06-12T16:26:00.000-07:00

It was so relaxing to be able to spend Christmas morning at home! Mia didn't know what to think on her first Christmas, but it was fun helping her open up all of her presents. Here she is with all her new toys and clothes. That afternoon, we headed over to Nana and Papa's house for a wonderful dinner. It was a great Christmas!!

Christmas Eve

2010-06-12T16:12:00.000-07:00

So, we hosted Christmas Eve dinner for Troy's immediate family. Laurel was so excited to cook her first chicken will all the trimmings!! It was also nice to be able to use our beautiful dining room table for the first time (a present from Laurel's dad)!! Check out the spread we had! Entertaining is so much fun!!

Cousin Landon turns 1

2010-06-12T16:00:00.000-07:00

On December 22, 2009, Mia's cousin Landon celebrated his first birthday. It is fun to see Mia with her cousin who is only 5 months older than she is. They are great friends!!

Getting ready for Christmas

2010-06-12T15:22:00.000-07:00

After we got home from Maryland, it was already December. Mia went to the doctor for her 6 month appointment. She weighed in at 14 pounds 7 ounces and measured 25 and 3/4 inches tall. The doctor gave us the okay to begin feeding Mia oatmeal and that's just what we did. Mia was so excited; she wanted to feed herself! That's our big girl! Over the next few days we decorated the house and took pictures of our sweet baby girl in her Christmas dress that her great Aunt Patrice gave her. We also went to a church breakfast and met a "real" Christmas elf.

From Teenagers to Mothers!

2010-06-12T15:07:00.000-07:00

While out in Maryland for Thanksgiving, Laurel was able to meet up with her friend Meghan whom she graduated high school with. Laurel was one of Meghan's bridemaids in her wedding and they always talked about one day being mother's together. Eventhough it was a short visit it was great to catch up and have our kids play with each other. Caleb and Addison loved holding and tickling Mia. Mia just enjoyed being around other kids.

Kids just love train gardens!!

2010-02-26T15:35:00.000-08:00

While in Maryland we took a trip to the B&O Railroad Museum in downtown Ellicott City. Mia thought it was so fascinating!! She couldn't take her eyes off of all the moving trains. It was fun to watch her get so excited and squeal when they would come around. She even got to meet Santa Claus. What a fun day!!

Thanksgiving in Maryland!!

2010-02-26T14:18:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was so much fun!! We took Mia on her first plane ride out to Maryland to visit all of Laurel's family. What a great trip we had! Mia was able to meet a lot of her relatives for the very first time. The weather was rainy for pretty much all of our trip; a nice change from California which is so dry!! Despite the rain, we were still able to enjoy a nice Thanksgiving dinner, celebrating grandma Lynn's birthday, watching movies, going to a craft fair, eating a delicious crabcake dinner, strolling through the B&0 Railroad Museum, and playing games as a family. We are so thankful for family and grateful for the time we got to spend with them. We love you all and miss you so much!!

Halloween!!

2009-10-26T22:50:00.000-07:00

Isn't she the cutest kitten in town! Eventhough she is too young to go trick or treating, it is still fun to dress her up!!

Mia's New Trick

2009-10-26T22:38:00.000-07:00

So this past weekend, Mia rolled over from her stomach to her back. Daddy was the first to see it because mommy was at work. She is still working on rolling from her back to her stomach, but lately she is more interested in sitting up. Here she is as happy as can be in her Bumbo seat!!

No More Cactuses!!

2009-10-26T22:16:00.000-07:00

So for the past two weeks our backyard was getting a much needed makeover. The previous owners decided to decorate it with huge catuses and Troy and I told eachother that they finally needed to go (we live in California, not Arizona)! We love our new backyard and are excited to plant lots of fruits and vegetables in our garden and for Mia to run around on the new plush grass (when she gets a little older, of course). We also plan on doing lots of BBQ's!

Great Grandma Blaszczyk comes to visit

2009-10-26T21:46:00.000-07:00

Last week my mom's mother flew in from Seattle to meet Mia for the first time. We had a wonderful visit with her taking her to the pumpkin patch, several great restaurants, and the Getty Museum. When we were not out and about we sat at home playing Scrabble (which I graciously lost at, every time). Grams is just too good!! But, I was able to beat her when we played Phase 10! Thank you so much for coming out to see us Grams and for spoiling us during your stay in California! We are grateful to have you in our lives!!

Happy Birthday Grandpa John!

2009-10-26T21:29:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago we celebrated Troy's Grandpa's 80th birthday. All of his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren were there to spend this special day with him. We are so lucky to have him live so close by and to see him on a frequent basis. He is an amazing man and we are glad that he is so healthy!! We love you Grandpa and hope you have a fantastic year ahead!

4 months old now, almost 5

2009-10-26T21:13:00.000-07:00

Mia went to the Dr.'s a few weeks ago and she weighed in at 13 lbs 7 oz. She measured 24 inches long. Her doctor says she is extremely healthy. He couldn't stop commenting on how cute our Mia is. She is our pride and joy and we can't imagine our life without her. Her smile is so contagious. She is the happiest baby!! We love you Mia!!

Beach Bum!!

2009-10-26T15:15:00.000-07:00

Living in Southern California is great because the beach is only 45 minutes from our house. A month ago we took Mia down to Santa Monica for her first trip to the beach. She couldn't take her eyes off of the ocean, she loved it so much!! It was fun to put our feet in the water, take a stroll on the Pier, and eat yummy fish and chips.

GO HART!!!

2009-10-26T15:01:00.000-07:00

One of the things we enjoy about the Fall is being able to watch football. We took Mia to her first couple of Hart High School (where Daddy graduated from) football games. She loved looking around at all the sites. Troy can't wait till she gets a little older and can taste her first hotdog.

Friends come to visit

2009-10-26T14:35:00.000-07:00

We are blessed to have good friends! Troy's college buddies and their families came down from Orange County to meet Mia for the first time. It was fun to see our children together. We played at the park (which someday Mia & Truman will get to enjoy) and ate some good food. Thanks Nate, Emily, Elle, Truman, Evan, Julie, and Sophia for the great memories. We will have to do it again soon!

catching up from the last 3 months

2009-10-26T13:54:00.000-07:00

Nonna and Papa got a new yard. We love spending time at Troy's parents house. They live out in the country and have 2 acres of land. We have a lot of fun playing in their backyard. It is especially fun riding the quads!!

Two months old

2009-08-06T18:46:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that our little Mia is 2 months old. She went to the doctor's this week and weighed in at 10 lbs and 11 oz. She is now 22 and 1/4 inches long. She is in the 50th percentile for both weight and height. The doctor says she has the most perfect head. We are grateful that she is growing and is so healthy!

Princess Mia

2009-08-06T18:23:00.000-07:00

Little girls look so cute all dressed up! A big thank you to Aunt Leah for making the cute tutu, headband, and bracelet. We believe our Mia is the most adorable little girl in the world!! We are truly blessed!! And, yes she is this happy all the time!

Fourth of July and Mia's Blessing

2009-08-06T17:57:00.000-07:00

It was great to be home for fourth of July this year. We went and saw fireworks at the local mall. A thanks to Aunt Janel for the patriotic shirt she bought Mia. She is the cutest little firecracker! We are fortunate to live in a free country and are grateful for all those that serve to protect it. Troy blessed Mia on July 5th. It was so wonderful to have her grandpa's, uncle's, and great uncle's be a part of it. A lady in our Ward made the dress she is wearing. Mia looked beautiful!!

Visits from family

2009-08-06T16:40:00.000-07:00

First Grandma Lynn came to visit, next Aunt Janel, and then Papa Fleming. We can never thank them enough for all the help they gave us in taking care of Mia the first 6 weeks of her life. We will be forever grateful for all the cooking, cleaning, diaper changes, and middle of the night feedings they did. Taking care of a newborn is truly hard work and an adjustment to new parents!! Mom, you are my hero!! I am so glad you were able to be there after Mia was born. I don't know what I would have done without you being there. She will always know that she was named after her grandma Lynn. Janel, I am so glad we were able to spend our birthday together. Thanks for spoiling our little girl!! Papa, I am glad you were able to come out for the blessing of Mia and take part in her special day. We love you all so much!

She's here!!!

2009-06-16T20:56:00.000-07:00

Mia Lynn Castagna came into the world on June 1st, 2009. She weighed 7 lbs even and was 19 inches long. She is such a joy and we are blessed to have a healthy girl, eventhough I was so sick. But, I am glad to report that I am feeling much better and Troy and I are enjoying our little girl. Enjoy the pictures!!

Surprises in the mail

2009-04-26T19:43:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to thank my mom and grandma Betty for sending some things in the mail for little Mia. My little girl will definitely be riding in style and wearing the cuteset clothes on the block. Also a big thanks to all my other relatives who sent gift cards and money. It is much appreciated!

Baby Shower for little Mia

2009-04-26T19:13:00.000-07:00

So, a week ago my friends here in town threw me a beautiful baby shower. It was the perfect day. Thanks so much Heather and Sheron for making this day so special for me. I can't wait till my little Mia comes. Only 6 more weeks to go. Here are some pictures of the event. Enjoy!!

Getting even bigger

2009-04-26T18:49:00.000-07:00

Here are some new pregnant pictures. I have only gained 23 pounds so far. I am still working out 3 times a week. It has been a wonderful pregnancy!!

5 months down, 4 more to go!

2009-02-08T19:13:00.000-08:00

I know everyone is dying to see pictures of me pregnant so here are the first ones I have taken of myself. It took, me a while to pop and some people still don't think I am pregnant. Although, I definitely notice my growing tummy. Just this past weekend, I had to break down and finally buy some maternity clothes. Here's me with my new dress on. It has been a great pregnancy and I can't wait to finally meet the little one that has been kicking inside of me. I will do my best to post more pictures as the months go by. Enjoy!!

New Nephew Landon

2009-02-08T19:06:00.000-08:00

Troy's sister had her little boy Landon on December 22, 2008. The first grandchild on his side of the family. Uncle Troy has been enjoying holding him since they live right around the corner from us. It is cute to watch him with his nephew. It gives me a nice preview of what it will be like when our little one comes in June.

Christmas 2008

2009-02-08T18:07:00.000-08:00

So, I'm finally posting pictures of our trip to Utah this past Christmas. We had a wonderful time attending Laurel's brothers' wedding in the Salt Lake Temple. But, boy was it freezing! We Southern Californians are big wimps when it comes to cold weather. Though, we still had a fun week spending time with family and friends.

St. George, Utah

2008-10-13T10:14:00.000-07:00

Troy and I drove up to St. George this past weekend for a wedding of our dear friends' Tracine and Juan. We were very excited to catch up with friends we hadn't seen in years. Thank you to the Marroquin's for allowing us to spend their special day with them. I am so glad we were able to relax in our hotel and do a little bit of shopping while there. I usually work every Saturday, so it was nice to have off and do whatever I wanted. I wish we were able to do more outdoors, but the weather was not very cooperative, as it was extremely windy and cold. Coming from hot weather in California, Troy and I didn't think walking around would be very pleasant. Plus, we didn't want to come back with colds. But, we were able to drive around town and take pictures of the beautiful landscapes. And, on the way back to Cali, Troy drove me out to the Hoover Dam. I have always wanted to see it and boy was it amazing!!

Mexico

2008-09-09T23:27:00.000-07:00

In July, Troy and I headed off to Playa del Carmen, Mexico for a much needed vacation. We had a blast parasailing, shopping in the village, touring the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza and Coba, snorkeling, cliff jumping, eating the local cuisine, chill'n in the infinity pool, and relaxing on the pristine beaches of the Yucatan. We wished we could haved stayed there longer, but after a week, we had to step back into reality and go back to work.

Our New House

2008-09-09T22:53:00.000-07:00

Well, Troy and I purchased a new home back in Feb of this year. It was a foreclosure, only 3 years old, and in beautiful condition. All it needed was a fresh coat of paint, a good cleaning, and a few other minor cosmetic things. We moved in the middle of March and are having fun decorating it. It is in a very nice, quiet neighborhood with lots of families. I am so grateful for Troy for finding it. It is a house where we can raise our future family in. I am happy to say we won't be moving for a very long time because it is plenty big. Next time you are out in Cali, come visit us because we have lots of rooms.

I finally did it!

2008-09-09T22:36:00.000-07:00

So, I decided to keep up with the trend and start a blog. I will try to be good about updating it so you know what's going on with Troy and I and our life here in Cali.