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Mother: Kathy (59)
Daughter: Cristina (33)
Norridge, IL

Big, black, teased hair, simmering pasta sauce, gold-chains and a husband who owns a pizzeria, you can’t get more Italian than Kathy and Cristina Bertoli. Raised in a strict Italian household Cristina wasn’t allowed to move out of the house until she got married… and even then, she was only allowed to moved three houses down from her mama. You think that’s extreme though? She wasn’t allowed to leave home for college because mama-mia didn’t want to be away from her angel for any extended period of time! These two share everything from hair extensions to sex tips. Kathy knows the specifics of her daughter’s bedroom life and vice-versa. They share everything, even the same gynecologist! Carlo, Cristina’s husband finds his wife’s relationship with her mom whacky, weird and obnoxious. Kathy’s boyfriend, however, thinks that it’s downright wrong and he gets angry that he has to compete for time with his girlfriend’s daughter. Kathy is unwilling to change one iota of her relationship with Cristina. He just has to accept that their relationship is the way it is and it isn’t EVER going to change. Carlo, along with his brother and father own a pizzeria that takes up a majority of his days, so Cristina spends 99% of her time with her “second husband,” Kathy. When Carlo is in a bind at work, he can count on Christina to come and help with deliveries, but only if Kathy comes as well. And, even if they’re just doing deliveries, Kathy and Cristina make every moment an opportunity for a party.

This family doesn’t do ANYTHING small. From a young age, Kathy dressed up Cristina in costumes and outfits for every holiday, birthday, baptism, graduation, wedding, anniversary. You name it, Kathy and Cristina have a costume and outfit for it. From matching Christmas sweaters, to bedazzled platform heels, to big-boobs and big lashes, heads turn when these two are out and about. Now, Cristina is continuing the tradition with her children. Whenever this mom and daughter squad go out with the kids they’re always in matching outfits and it usually involves lots of leopard print, bows and bronzer… Kathy and Cristina also enjoy take on jobs as seasonal workers or event workers whenever they get the chance: they’ve been the minions at a kid’s birthday party, seasonal elves and teddy’s bears during Christmas at Macy’s and even Barney the Dinosaur.

When they’re not dressed up as characters, these two are also party-planners to the max! Their Easter celebration involves the entire neighborhood, with hundreds of eggs, an Easter bunny and enough food to feed a small army. Subtly is not their forte. They carted Christina’s four-year old girl into their Fourth of July pool-party in a tinsel-laden wheelbarrow to the Miss America theme song… It’s as if Kathy stopped aging the minute she birthed her best friend. Even the gynecologist says “they are just like each other,” whatever that means!

 

Potential Storylines

  • Cristina’s husband, Carlo, is busy running the family Pizza business with his brother and father, leaving Kathy and Cristina in the traditional Italian family role of running the household and co-parenting three children under the age of six.
     
  • Carlo’s family life is chaotic and wild with fist fights and constant screaming matches about the pizzeria. He doesn’t get along super well with his dad and brother so he is looking to break away from the family business to open up his own pizza place with his own employees. He wants to be closer to his family, and have more time to be an active and engaged father and husband. However, with Kathy and Cristina running the show at home, Carlo’s increased presence will be an adjustment for everyone, especially Cristina who doesn’t like any outside influences disrupting the co-parenting dynamic between her and her mother.
     
  • Although Cristina and Kathy are a tight team, the rambunctious children are testing Kathy’s patience as she’s dealing with Houdini style car seat escapes, constant temper tantrums, and out of control babies. She is constantly striving to be a picture-perfect grandma, but not always hitting the mark.
     
  • Cristina just left her job as a dance instructor after clashing with her 80-year-old uptight boss. While being around for her kids is Cristina’s #1 priority, she is now back on the job hunt. With Cristina’s students begging her to come back, she may need to start waitressing with her Mom until she patches things up with her boss or finds a new dance studio to pursue her passion. She loves dance and really wants to find a way to incorporate it into her life.
     
  • Kathy has a milestone birthday coming up as she’s turning 60 in October! Cristina is planning a surprise party and for the first time has to go behind mom’s back to keep everything under wraps. With Kathy’s reputation as the neighborhood’s over-the-top party queen, Cristina is feeling the pressure to pull of the surprise of a lifetime. 
     
  •  Kathy’s youngest daughter and Cristina’s little sister, Carly (23), is on a break from dental school and back home with the family. She is madly in love with her new Canadian boyfriend. Carly’s only concern is that her crazy family could scare him off before they take the relationship to the next level.
     
  • Although Carly is considered one of the “three musketeers,” she didn’t follow the Italian tradition of staying in the family nest and is working to form her own unique identity. Cristina is always pushing her sister to be more involved in the family, but Carly wants to create healthy boundaries and have a normal relationship with her family.
     
  • Kathy’s father is battling lung cancer and just started chemotherapy treatment. It’s been rough on the family and will test how they stick together in the hardest of times.
     
  • Cristina’s son and daughter have birthday’s coming up in August and September. These over-the-top party planners are sure to pull out all the stops and make sure these b-days are huge celebrations not to be missed.
     
  • Lastly, Kathy and Cristina are gearing up for their annual Fourth of July pool party involving the entire neighborhood, crazy costumes, and a show-stopping fireworks display.