MATTEO's DREAM FUND - Toy Donation 2010

This year, on Thursday, December 23, Gabby and Rocco picked out $1,000.00 worth of toys, including card games, board games, art supplies, learning games, Legos, dolls, musical instruments, infant toys, etc. We then personally delivered the toy donation to Seattle Children's Hospital. This was the first official event and donation by MATTEO's DREAM FUND. This toy drive was made possible because of the many generous and thoughtful donations to the MATTEO TATE MARTINO MEMORIAL fund which was established almost 18 months ago when our son, Matteo Tate Martino, died unexpectedly in his sleep.

This holiday toy donation was our little way of keeping Matteo's spirit alive during the holiday season. It allowed us to do something positive for children who are sick or terminally ill. We hope with all our hearts that these toys brought a smile to the faces of so many children, and perhaps for a moment they could forget about being in a hospital during the holidays. We also hope it took some pressure off of their parents, as I can only imagine some of the enormous medical expenses they may be faced with this holiday season.

I can honestly tell you that delivering those toys to the hospital was one of the best days of my life. While I was near tears most of the day, delivering those toys felt SO GOOD. It was a complete honor, and I only wish we could have delivered more. I was also so proud of our kids. While shopping, they did not throw one tantrum about not getting to have the toys they were picking out. Rather, they kept asking "Do you think the kids in the hospital will want this?" or "I think they would like this!". And, a lot of "We're doing this for Matteo, right mommy?" Right. Exactly.

And, as we drove home that afternoon... Gabby said "Mommy? Is this what Christmas is all about? Giving to other people? Because I had fun today...and I bet those little kids at the hospital will be so happy to have a toy on Christmas." And... my heart melted. Completely. Yes... this is what it's all about. So proud of her.

We are so incredibly thankful for all of you who have supported us over the past 17+ months, and also for those of you who have contributed to the MATTEO TATE MARTINO MEMORIAL fund before you even knew how the funds would be used. We feel so blessed to know such kind, thoughtful, supportive and generous people. And, we hope you felt just as good about this donation as we did!!

MATTEO's DREAM FUND currently receives all of it's funds through the MATTEO TATE MARTINO MEMORIAL fund. It is our hope in 2011 to organize and hold several fundraisers. We're also hoping to get those of you who run races or participate in triathlons throughout the year, to do it in Matteo's memory and help us raise funds for this great organization! We had hoped to start these efforts in early 2010... but with the arrival of a new baby, an out-of-state move, and continuously trying to navigate through our daily life without Matteo... well, we just ran out of time in 2010.

It is a huge goal of ours to one day become an official 501(c)(3) non-profit., so that your donations can also be a tax write off. Becoming an official 501(c)(3) can cost upwards of $2,500, and it requires extensive work with an attorney and completion of a lot of paperwork - so this will take some time. Until then, please know that any donations will be distributed in full, as described below. Unlike most official non-profit organizations, we are a non-profit organization with absolutely NO OVERHEAD COSTS. Every cent you donate will ultimately benefit a sick or terminally ill child. Your money will not go to an admin, or be used to pay an electric, internet or transportation bill.

Next year, we're hoping to donate even more toys!!

Our goal for next year is to coordinate toy drives to take place in three different locations... the Bay Area, Minneapolis, and Seattle. It will be a challenge, it will be awesome, it will put smiles on the faces of SO MANY sick children... and we'll need your help!!

To learn more about MATTEO's DREAM FUND, please visit our Facebook page, MATTEO'S DREAM FUND and "like" us so you can keep up with all of our announcements and future events! Hopefully, we'll get a MDF web page up in 2011 as well.

To contribute:
1. Please write your check to: MATTEO TATE MARTINO MEMORIAL
2. Mail to:
ELECTRIC FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
PO BOX 6479
SAN JOSE, CA 95150-6479

If you would like to contribute money in Matteo's memory, but you would like your donation to be eligible for 2010 tax benefits, then you can make your donation to the Matteo Tate Martino Memorial via "Presents for Packard". Please know any contributions to this fund will benefit children receiving care at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital in Palo Alto, CA.

Remember, even $5 can make a HUGE difference!! This is a wonderful way to "do good" and feel good about your donation this holiday season.

More about MATTEO's DREAM FUND:
Matteo’s Dream Fund is a non-profit organization, established in 2010, in memory of Matteo Tate Martino, who died in his sleep at 18 months of age. Matteo’s death was an unexpected, heart-breaking and overwhelming loss to his parents, twin brother, big sister, and unborn sister. In managing their grief, Matteo’s parents, Jodi (La Valle) and Dan Martino, decided to establish a fund that would benefit sick and terminally ill children at children’s hospitals throughout the United States. While Matteo’s life was cut tragically short, the hope is that his story will forever impact the lives of others by encouraging people to always remember how precious the gift of life is and how even the smallest gifts or acts of kindness can help a sick child and brighten their day.

Matteo’s Dream Fund will donate items, services and grant money to children’s hospitals and organizations that will provide recreational therapy, educational tools, and emotional support, assistance and services to sick children at children’s hospitals across the United States, as identified by the Board of Directors. Some examples include, but are not limited to:
• Purchase of new and unused books, toys, games, and art supplies for recreational therapy
• Purchase of new and unused educational materials and computers
• Purchase of materials and supplies for outdoor gardens, benches and/or play areas
• Work with local photographers to donate their time and services to capture photos of hospitalized children with their families and/or friends, and gifting them with prints and CD’s with the photos.
• Working with organizations that assist children’s hospitals in the development and construction of recreational therapy rooms (play rooms) within children’s hospitals where kids can play with toys, work on art projects, and socialize with other children in a non-clinical setting.

Matteo’s Dream Fund major fundraisers include, but are not limited to:
• Individual donations
• Individuals who choose to run, walk or bike races in Matteo’s memory, setting their own personal financial fundraising goals with contributions donated to Matteo’s Dream Fund.
• An annual 5K run/walk and Kids Fun Run event, TBD
• An annual golf event, TBD
• Additional fundraisers may also be planned throughout the year
• Donations are always welcome

The charity will solicit contributions and sales of goods and services from the general public, corporations, and other non-profit organizations in addition to sponsoring special fundraising events. Distribution of all funds will be managed by the Board of Directors, in accordance with the initiatives listed above. All donations will be distributed in their entirety.

5 Inches of Snow? What?!

We woke up this morning to 5 inches of snow on the ground. We heard earlier in the week that snow might reach into lower elevations... but 5 inches? WOW!

The kids couldn't wait to get outside this morning and frolic in the snow with all the neighborhood kids... sledding, snowballs, stomping around and making tracks. LOTS. OF. FUN!

Giuliana didn't go outside... but she too knows there is snow on the ground and doesn't want to stop looking out the windows.

Dan gets really excited too when there is snow on the ground. I mean... who doesn't, really, right?! It really is so pretty and makes it look like a winter wonderland outside.

But, with 5 inches of snow... you sort of can't escape the "having to shovel" task. So, he went out to shovel the LONG driveway.

Half-way through his shoveling job, it starts snowing hard again. Awesome. Not sure he's really "loving" the continuation of the snowfall this afternoon. Ha!

At least he has the chance to perfect and show-off some new shoveling moves. :))

Cookies, part 2

Recently, while Dan was traveling... I was craving some home made chocolate chip cookies. So, I made a double batch of dough thinking it would be a good afternoon project to tackle with the kids.

The next night, Maria asked if she could make the cookies with the kids. I thought it was a great idea, but of course gave her ample warning about the kids being a little extra messy with projects like this. You know... they start out being good helpers but then leave you high & dry to finish the project on your own.

Rocco did a SUPER great job of using the utensil to make those perfect little cookie dough balls. He filled up his tray so fast with just a little help from Maria. He's such a little chef... it's really cute. Gabby got stuck on the delicious taste of the cookie dough... even after us telling her repeatedly, NOT to eat the cookie dough. So, her tray needed more help from Maria. She must have had to wash her hands 4 times while filling her one tray with dough balls because she couldn't keep her hands out of the dough!

Maria did a great job with the kids. And, she rocks because she even finished baking the rest of the cookies AND cleaned up the mess while I was in the office working. I thought for sure I would get stuck with baking the rest of the cookies and the clean-up.

Maria has really been such a great help to us. She has been wonderful with the kids and such a great helper all-around.

Cookie Fun

As in the past... we decided once again to make holiday cookies with the kids.

Thirty minutes in to this year's cookie making madness, Dan declared "How about we start the tradition of NOT making Christmas cookies next year!" He was serious. I, of course, couldn't help but laugh.




It truly IS pure chaos making cookies with kids.













We're talking kids stuffing straight-up sugar into their mouths. Flour and dough get everywhere... nearly looks as if a flour bomb exploded in our kitchen. They're putting their little hands into everything, wanting to taste everything, fighting over who can pour what in... often resulting in more of some ingredients and less of others actually making it into the bowl. And, they could easily kill 20 bottles of colored sprinkles. This year, we parted ways with 14 sprinkle containers. No kidding. It's both impressive and scary.

My usual type-A personality seems to be ok with the chaos. Dan on the other hand... well, he's half the reason I LOVE doing this with the kids. It is completely entertaining for me to watch easy-going, mellow Dan morph into a type-A personality. Mid-way through the cookie baking, it's as if Dan's raised his white flag and he turns to a bottle of wine for some sanity. Call me crazy, but I find this hilarious and totally enjoy it.

Christmas 2010 wrap-up

We spent Christmas at home again this year... the big difference being that we were in our new home.

It was a little strange to not be spending the holiday with either of our extended families. We've celebrated the Christmas holiday with our California family for the past four years. So, it was both relaxing and possibly a wee bit too quiet to not be prepping for and hosting a delicious four course Christmas Day dinner.

And, after a summer of traveling and living like gypsies, we just weren't ready to travel anywhere. We decided we would much rather take this time as a family to finally "breathe" a little and enjoy some quality time together after the whirlwind of chaos that goes along with a big move.

The anticipation of Christmas was almost palpable in our home this year. The kids were SO excited about every single traditional event leading up to the big day. Everything from getting the Christmas tree, to decorating it, putting up Christmas decorations throughout the house, making holiday cookies, picking out presents and wrapping them... you name it - they were SO EXCITED! Needless to say... the anticipation of opening presents was also discussed several times a day.

The kids also LOVE our somewhat new Elf on the Shelf tradition. Dan and I love it too, actually. We just wish we could use the Elf threat throughout the year... you know, the "you better be good... Elf is watching and he's going to fly back to the North Pole tonight and tell Santa what you did!" It snaps the kids in line every time. Love it! Some of my high school girlfriends gifted us with this last year. I swear... it's the gift that keeps on giving! ha!

The kids had so many more questions about Santa this year... everything from where does he live to how does he get inside our house? Will he know we moved? How does he get to the mall? Where are his real reindeer when he's at the mall? Why does the mall only have fake reindeer? Where are his elves when he's at the mall? Etc.

We also got the three kids to SIT NEXT to Santa for a photo this year and not one child was crying! This is a miracle!!! I am 99% sure it was because this year's Santa photo included some of their pals. So a group of pals all put on their brave faces and sat with Santa. Granted, my children didn't say one word to him... but that's ok. We got a Santa photo with no screamers! Yay! Santa photos from Christmas' past are worthy of winning "worst Santa photo ever" contests. And, I'm not kidding!! Check Gabby out in this photo from 2006... you'd think she just saw a ghost. And, here's Gabby and the twins in 2008... and yes that's me, holding Gabby down on my lap. So funny!

And, of course, they were so excited about opening presents. We'd get the "can I open one present?" question at least once a day for the 3 weeks leading up to Christmas. Only because for once in my life I happened to be somewhat organized with my gift purchasing and did a majority of it before Thanksgiving when the toy store had huge deals. I was shocked that they never actually opened a gift early... yes, they were sat on, thrown, used to build forts, and dragged and dropped throughout the house. But, not one was intentionally opened early! Such good little kidlets!

On Christmas Eve, we went to mass so we could say "Happy Birthday" to baby Jesus, and listen to and sing along with the beautiful Christmas music. Giuliana slept through the first half of mass. Rocco spent most of the service playing in the basement with Dan and then proceeded to fall asleep ten minutes before church ended. And, Gabby was alert and asking questions throughout the service... she was so excited to go home and rip through some presents. Dan made a delish lasagna and we ate until we were stuffed and then ripped through all of our family presents. It went shockingly fast and Gabby was VERY quick to help Giuliana open all of her gifts.

Giuliana really couldn't have cared less to open any of her gifts. All she wanted to do was hold the gifts that Gabby and Rocco opened... and she thought that was the best job in the house. She was all smiles every time something new was opened... she'd walk over and pick it up and next thing you know she'd have the world's biggest smile on her face.

Rocco loved opening all the gifts and seeing the new toys. The Nerf guns seemed to be his favorite gifts of the evening. It cracked me up when he opened a few gifts with clothes in them... becuase he wouldn't even react to it... rather... it's almost like the clothes were tissue paper. He'd pull the sweater out of the box, drop it with no facial reaction or comment and move right on to the next gift. So funny!

It's such fun to be a parent at this time of year. Christmas is so magical and full of anticipation for the kids. And, I love making it magical for them... creating traditions, putting up lights and decorations, making the house smell like cinnamon, spices and cranberries, and buying gifts I think they'll love.

This year was Giuliana's first Christmas. It was also our second Christmas without Matteo. I think we recognized both appropriately by adding a new tradition to our holiday. It was incredibly meaningful to us, and taught our kids one of life's best lessons... GIVING to those less fortunate. Thanks to the Matteo Tate Martino Memorial Fund, we were able to donate a LOT of toys on behalf of Matteo's Dream Fund to a local children's hospital. While I had tears in my eyes and was on the verge of crying the entire day, it was such a feel-good thing for all of us. Good medicine, really, at a time in the year when we need it most. We are already looking forward to doing it again next year!

Santa worked VERY hard on Christmas Eve again this year to make sure certain toys would be sitting out under the Christmas tree. I know this because I heard lots of grumbling, grunts, and the occasional naughty word coming from our office until almost 2am. I think the bourbon helped ease the pain and stress of the situation though. You'd think Santa would have learned his lesson last year after he stayed up until 3am putting together the train table. But nooooo... not even Mrs. Claus could convince him to start his prep work early. Maybe next year?

This year, the kids asked Santa for:
Gabby: a sleeping bag, a pogo stick, and a new doll house for her Barbi.e dolls
Rocco: a big red mean fire truck with a big tall mean ladder, a really fast car, and shooter guns
Giuliana: mamamamama

This photo was taken just minutes after Santa came:

These photos were taken Christmas morning, shortly after the kids came downstairs and discovered that Santa visited during the night with some toys.

If you asked the kids what their favorite gifts from Santa were, they would tell you
Gabby = Grandview Dollhouse (taller than her!)
Rocco = his "motor" (as he calls it)... basically a mini-ATV.
Giuliana = Little People car ramp (almost as tall as her)

The gifts that didn't last 24 hours? That would be the slinkies Santa left for the big kids in their stockings. This is a photo of two slinkies... somehow mangled and twisted together and left for little Giuliana to discover as she was doing her penguin walk around the house.

On Christmas Day, we basically just relaxed in our PJs all day and played with all the new toys. Matteo never far from our hearts or thoughts as we found ourselves imagining what he would have enjoyed most about this holiday, and what toys would have peaked his interest this year. I would give anything to have been able to see Rocco and Matteo driving around on their own mini-ATV's together.

I can't possibly describe how difficult holidays are since losing Matteo. Every day is obviously difficult. Holidays accentuate that degree of difficulty as everyone you know is spending the day with their families and their children. There is always an innate feeling that something is missing. Matteo is missing. Every minute of every day for the rest of my life, he'll be missing. My mind knows he is gone, but every single part of me wishes he was here. So, it's not even possible to put a feeling like that in the back of my mind. I'm quite certain this feeling will never change. Rather, I'll just have to find a way to live with it.

Impromptu Gingerbread Houses

Well... this year we've had a variety of gingerbread houses enter the house. Maria made one at her monthly au pair meeting and brought that home at the end of November. Bits and pieces of that house started disappearing almost immediately. Almost all the candy was stripped off that house by the 4th of December. Now, it looks more like a haunted house with half it's roof missing and all of it's gingerbread men and ginger landscaping missing.

Gabby made another gingerbread house at school... actually, it was a graham cracker house, but the concept is just the same. The second it arrived home, Rocco started freaking out because he wanted to eat candy off of it and it created a major, mini-war.

Sooo... mommy, trying to quickly resolve the chaos, suggested we make our own houses at home later that day. And, of course... both big kids held me to it. Ugh. Watch what you say!

We didn't have little milk cartons like they used at Gabby's school. But, we had long tall individual lunchbox-size milk boxes, so we used those instead. This also meant that instead of graham cracker houses... ours looked more like graham cracker garages. Perfect for Rocco... so they could store lots of cars and trucks.

These photos were taken before they were actually finished. They looked really disgusting when they were done - but the kids were thrilled and of course stealing candy at every chance they had.

Oh, the things mommies do to keep the peace in the house!!

Giuliana just watched, listened and played in her laundry basket.

Nutcracker... a date day with Gabbers!

Gabby had been asking to go and see the Nutcracker ballet since the beginning of November. I just so happen to love the Nutcracker ballet and the last time I saw it was when Dan and I were living in San Francisco and we'd make a double date night of it... a wine bar and the ballet.

So, it was definitely time for me to see it again... and I was very excited to make a special day of it for Gabby and I. Daddy took some pictures of us before we left... and then Rocco got upset and was so sad that he wasn't coming with us to the ballet (which he would have hated... I can't imagine him lasting 5 mins!). So, daddy threw all the kids into the photos and that seemed to solve Rocco's issue with not feeling included. And, it made me happy because I got some cute photos with three of my kiddos.

I should note that we didn't go to the FULL Nutcracker ballet... rather it was a smaller ballet company that does a production that is just short of 2 hours... excerpts from the Nutcracker. A wonderful new mommy friend alerted us to this option and it was perfect for us.

Gabby did SO well during the performance and really enjoyed all the dancing, the costumes and music. I thought she would be scared when the rats took over the stage... but she wasn't. I guess it helped that they were dancing mice w/cute little girls and boys inside the costumes. After intermission (and the enormous sugar cookie!), I could tell she got a little tired... but her eyes remained glued to the stage.

On the way home, she seemed so tired I suggested we go right home so she could rest... but that fell on deaf ears. Gabby demanded that we still went out for an early dinner. So, we did. And, we had burgers, and french fries, and a smoothie and chocolate shake at a local burger joint.

And, it was fabulous. The entire day. Love the special, individual time w/my sweet kiddos.

Thanks for the fun date, Gabby... hope you remember it for years to come! xoxo

Oh... and we also brought home a special Nutcracker cookie for Rocco, and a rat cookie for daddy. Here's Rocco and his cookie: