Mi mancano i miei amici e i miei bambini in Italia TANTISSIMA!!!!

Ultima notte in Italia

2009-09-11T07:14:00.011+02:00

Well these are the last of my Italy pictures! I FINALLY got them all up here. This has been an oppoortunity I will never forget. I have learned so much in the past eight months and I was lucky enough to share it with one of the most amazing families there is!
This was Dinner my last night in Italy :( It was a beautiful restaurant at the top of the Mountain looking over the lake in Lecco. BELLISSIMA. Sorry these pictures aren't very clear, but you get the idea. I'm still going to keep up the blogging but my adventures will just be in America from now on! :)

Always a Party

2009-09-11T06:50:00.008+02:00

GAH! I want to see them so bad....just to play with them, and make potions, and play "sckacha-racha," (the game we made up!) or bake cookies, or read stories, or fall asleep on the couch.... :(

Poderuccio

2009-08-20T17:35:00.042+02:00

My Babies!! I miss them so much :(

Takin a snooooooze in the pool. Lalla really fell asleep!!
Look at them dancing!! They can BOOTY daaaaaaannncceee HAHA
Che Bella Questa Foto!
RICKI <3
My Italian family + Gaia :)
Okay so this is the CUTEST thing EVER!!! Ricki and Emma are soooo in love and it's adroable. He is 5 qand she is 7. They do EVERYTHING together! They walk around holding hands, naming things after each other, dancing! I LOVE THEM!
Okay listen to what i heard them say one day... (It was all said in italian by the way which is SO MUCH cuter than english)
Emma: "I need to change my swimsuit"
Ricki: "But why do you need to change? You look beautiful in the swimsuit with the flower on it!" Emma: "No, because it's wet"
Ricki: "Oh, okay!" Deer Spotting! Madre e Figlia!
L.O.V.E. Love these girls...
My Baby Girl . . .
Hahahahaha Nonna got sooo mad at me for doing this to the boys hair!!! She hated what they looked like! ha "Che Brutto Sei"

I went to Rome. Alone. ha

2009-08-14T22:17:00.044+02:00

Trip to Rome. Here's my story:
Booked a hostel becasue I was supposed to go with 3 other girls. Ended up going alone but kept the hostel. Got to my hostel and was shown to my room of 5 other guys. Got hit on and invited to party by the creepy dudes. Called dad freaking out. Left and got the first hotel I found. Had an amazing four days in Rome! hahahaha
I actually didn't mind the trip alone. It was nice to take my time and see everything! BUT, I definately won't be making it a habit! Everything is fun with other people!

Colosseum

Spanish Steps
Trevi Fountain
Waiting for Obama to come out ha ha
There he is!
Roman Forums
Piazza Venezia
Piazza Campdoglio
St. Peters Basilica
Sant'Angelo Castle
Piazza Navona. Prettiest one....can't tell from these pics...but I think so!Sistine Chapel

How did we both forget our Camera??

2009-08-14T04:39:00.004+02:00

Me and Carmen met up in Pisa my last week in Italy and yes....WE BOTH FORGOT OUR CAMERA!! Horrible, I know. You would think after allll my traveling that the camera would be a number one! Oopsie Daisies!!! Well, we bought a cheap disposable one and this is the best we could come up with. ha heres a few just so you know that I did see the Leaning tower of PISA!!! It is soooo crazy cool by the way!

Firenze!

2009-08-13T16:36:00.036+02:00

I'm so glad I met Carmen and Sarah...I had A LOT of fun with these girls :) One of our many adventures was a day trip to Florence where we had SOOOOO much fun! Lets see....we saw duomo. went shopping. ate gelato. went shopping. saw ponte vecchio. went shopping. ate food. went shopping. aaaaannnnddd went dancing that night!!! hahahaha Ya.....Florence was great!
Ponte Vecchio.Pizza Time. I love open markets. One of my favorites about Italy for sure.
SHOPPING!!! Another favorite :)
Oh ya...and getting lost...a usual event.
This duomo was the most beautiful one I have seen as far as outside structure and detail! Oh wait...I guess right behind St. Marks basillica in Venice.
Oh look...another favorite...GELATO!!
Checkin into our hostel.
Time to dance the night away!!!!!! WOOOOO
Check out this chalk painting on the ground....CRAZY!

Siena :)

2009-08-07T12:13:00.032+02:00

I LOVE SIENA!!!! It is one of my favorite places in Italy. I went twice--During the day with Andrea and at night with Carmen, Sarah, and the guys we met at Poderuccio. Andrea came to visit me in Poderuccio for 3 days so we made the quick trip to Siena since it's so close!! It is such a unique, beautiful, old town surrounded by walls everywere you go....as Enzo would say....it's like being in a giant Torta!!! BAHAHAHHAPiazza Del Campo
The Tower we went up.
So I was DYING becasue Siena is ALL HILLS and I was really wishin I wore my tennis shoes...apparently for Andrea it was no sweat! Oh....and it was a bajillion degrees outside.I've been in sooo many Duomos/churched since I have been in Italy and this one, by far, has the best interior I've seen! It's full of artwork--the striped columns are beautiful and the floor was marble with drawings carved into it! So pretty!

The town from the Tower!

Siena by night. . .

One of the many highlights of Italy.

Piazza Del Campo! So fun at night--lots of people, music, food, shops--it's my favorite piazza in Italy

Harder than I thought...

2009-08-05T16:59:00.013+02:00

Okay...so my thoughts as of lately....
Weellllll as ready as I am to be back home and move back into my life with school and stuff.....it's so sad to leave Italy. . . Not becasue everything is amazing here as far as beauty and history, but because of the people I have met. 7 months is a long time and I've become close to so many great people. It's hard saying goodbye...which is another thing I've realized...I'M TERRIBLE AT IT. I'd rather just not say anything...saying goodbye sucks. I'm really going to miss the friends I've made.......They are the reasons for my love of Italy! Thank y'all for all the fun memories!!!!!! Sari I will miss yoooouuuu!!! :( Fai un Bambino presto!!!!!!!!! ;) Guisto?...quasi?? HA oh and P.S. I have SO many pictures from my adventures in Italy this last month...so I will work on gettin em up here SUBITO! I fly home on Sabato...one more day.....!!!

BUBBLES

2009-07-01T01:32:00.006+02:00

Lauri bought all the kids bubbles the other day so we had lots of fun with them! UNTIL...Lalla decided to drink them becasue she wanted to blow bubbles with her mouth! haha

SOMETIMES I get bored....YES, even in Italy!

2009-06-25T15:19:00.011+02:00

BECCA IT FINALLY LOADED!!! And don't worry, there are more to come :) MWahahahahahahah

THIS IS FOR THE GREATEST/BEST/MOST AMAZING FAMILY IN THE WORLD...THAT'S RIGHT....MY FAM!

For you Hil Bil.... :)

Jaclyn, Orchid, Boob and Rachel....y'alls are comin! :)

Entertainment at its BEST!

2009-06-24T12:42:00.002+02:00

Hi My Name is Chubby. . . HaHaHa

Lalla's Turn. . .

2009-06-24T11:54:00.005+02:00

She finally got them!!! And she was so good about it too. She barely even scratched or complained.
She was pretty miserable by this point :(

FOR VICTOR

2009-06-22T14:15:00.002+02:00

Just so everybody is aware...VICTOR REYES BENITES won in bowling the other night. That's right, he's a CHAMP! Oh.....and an artist....

OH Italian Men..... :)

2009-06-22T03:15:00.003+02:00

hahaha SO today at church, I almost peed my pants. No wait, it wasn't church, it was an institute/seminary graduation, but anyways...one of my friends was talking to me and he said (In Italian of course) "Wow, you look beautiful, the hair, the dress, all you need is a little necklace too and you'll be complete!" WHAT GUY NOTICES THAT!???? BAhahahah Seriously...he told me I needed a necklace to complete my look?! AHhhh ha ha ha ha I love Italy and it's MASS amounts of METRO MEN!!!! SO funny!

To all you manly men out there....THANK YOU!!

Ma Perche???

2009-06-19T10:12:00.002+02:00

I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW I CAN RUN AS MUCH AS I DO AND YET STILL HAVE SOOOOO MUCH CELLULITE ON THE BACK OF MY LEGS!!!!!!! ????? Will somebody please answer this question for me. I even do Tae bo and work out my legs and it still ain't workin for me. Any suggestions? Who has nice thighs....I need your help!

Thank You!

HAHA

2009-06-18T16:08:00.006+02:00

I'M GONNA MISS MY LALLINA BUG!!!!!!!!! Awwww she kills me! She has an imaginary friend named Bimba or Bimbo (depending on if he's a guy or a girl that day)! She is ALWAYS in her own little world just chattin away....

Portofino (Santa Margherita)!!!!!

2009-06-17T11:52:00.053+02:00

I FINALLY got my pictures up!! Sorry it's been a while. This place was, once again, INCREDIBLE! Everything about it was breath taking. I only wish I had everyone to share it with!! It is so amazing totravel and see so many neat places...I want to be a world traveler! :) A lot of the week was rainy and cloudy while we were here, BUT it did not matter one bit!! The family we went with have a house in Santa Margherita so that is where we stayed, and their au pair (Sarah as well) was with me, so of course it made things much more fun! Enjoying the end of the day by watching the sunset!
Right before Sarah and I went skinny dipping. . .IN THE MEDITERRANEAN!!! How cool is that?? Very Liberating...I highly suggest it :)
I LOVED the harbor with all the boats. It was so peaceful to just sit early in the morning when all the fisherman were getting ready to go out.
On our daily walks along the side of the beach! And YES, I am quite aware that Lalla's hair is out of control! We are trying to grow the bangs out and she will NOT leave her clips in. She is a MAJOR tom-boy!
This will be me in my mommy days :) Oh how I cannot wait!
Entertaining ourselves on a rainy day!!!
I love this picture for two reasons...
1. Lalla looks like she is being choked by Giorgia (She's not, by the way).
2. I have no clue what I am yelling at Ricki in the background!
The few days it was sunny, we spent every second at the beach catching crabs, clams, snails, spikey black things, but I have no clue what they were.... Me and the boys made quite the little aquarium!
Strolling around town.
HAHAHA Okay...this picture makes me think of "How to lose a guy in 10 days" when Kate Hudson is like "Here are the kids in Switzerland!" hahahhaha If you've seen that movie, you should understand! Poor Ricki was a little gimpy because he somehow hurt his foot, so after he was tired of walking he got to cruise in the stroller. What a good sister Lalla!
Love this picture!
One morning I woke up and went for a 10 mile run...I am crazy I know. But since I already had to wake up early, I figured, why not wake up even earlier to watch the sunrise! It was cloudy so the sun never really came up, but it was still AMAZING!!!!!!! I went on a rock in the water and ahhhh, it was so calm and peaceful--just me, the ocean, the wind, WOW!

Rest in Peace Little Birdie...

2009-06-16T10:54:00.005+02:00

AHHHHHHHHHHH OKAY...So I just walked downstairs to go run and a bird FLEW across the room (I'm talking full speed, all out flyin) right into the big glass door! And he fell to the ground and died RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!!!!! AHHH WHAT DO I DO?? I hate birds....but i still feel so sorry for him. Awwwww, but there's no way I'm touching it. EWW He's just laying on the floor. I think I'll leave a note for marco telling him there's a dead bird on his living room floor....he will see it when he comes home for lunch! OH MY! CHE SCHIFO!!!!!!

Dance Parties Rock!

2009-06-13T00:58:00.005+02:00

So lately Fede has taken an interest to "Tecktonic" dance style!! And he's REALLY good. We even made t-shirts with the Tecktonic symbol. I think Simona is going to put him in hip hop classes because he is totally made to be a dancer! He's a natural! Watch him go....

Who needs music to dance??

Bowling

2009-06-13T00:45:00.005+02:00

Me and Selika TOTALLY beat Andrea & Jonny in Pool....No really, WE DID!

In Bowling, not so much. But we decided to pose anyways!

Little kids and their diseases!

2009-06-09T14:03:00.006+02:00

Ricki has the chicken pox!!!!!!!! And It was so funny because my face was like WAY broken out this weekend (I'm blaming the period) and Ricki totally thought I was getting the chicken pox too!!!!! hahahha I was laughing so hard...so then I had to explain to him what pimples are!

If it weren't for these teeth I don't know what we would have done. They were a huge help in taking Ricki's mind off the itching...and they were HILARIOUS! We had a good time playing
"Dentist" with them!

:(

2009-06-07T09:26:00.003+02:00

Boooooo...So I didn't go to church last week becasue we went out of town, and then today my ride didn't come pick me up b/c they thought I was still out of town and I couldn't get a hold of them. :( Sad...Church is what I look forward to in my weeks and now I've missed it twice in a row. I'm sad. So now I'm listening to EFY music and gonna look up the lessons online. Next week, I'M GOING! I love the gospel so much. It makes me so happy! And if I can feel the spirit all the way in Italy, even when I don't understand everything that is said...then it must be true--and it is! I know that.

Missing Home

2009-06-06T12:25:00.003+02:00

I just got back from Portofino and I will post pics soon! Everything I see is unbelievable, I wish y'all could be here to see!!! I have two months left in Italy and I am stoked for the last places I will get to visit (Rome, Florence, Tuscana, Fort de Marmi!), but I REALLY miss my life at home and my family and my friends. I will be so happy to come back and see everyone! I have learned a lot from living here in Italy and it has totally made me appreciate America and where I live! Not that Italy is bad, just that it is so different in so many ways and I am thankful for how and where I grew up! I can't wait to come home and see y'all!!!!!!!!!!! I am totally ready! MWAH!!! I love you Fam Fam and friends! :)

Quick Update on Italia...

2009-05-27T10:11:00.017+02:00

Duomo.
A castle in Milan.

I still have the cutest kids ever.

I did a cart wheel and this was the result.

Lesley came to visit for a week and we did a lot of fun things including a day trip to Venice.

I JUST GOT HIT BY A CAR....

2009-05-12T16:18:00.001+02:00

Okay so maybe it's more like I just hit a car. ha ha. uhhhh, I was riding my bike home with Shelley and we turned down the alley (which is ridiculously small, even for one car) and there was a car and I totally hit it. I felt dumb. The guy started laughing bc I was obviously fine and embarrassed. ha ha ha So I officially got hit by a car in Italy. Just so ya know!

One Tough Cookie!!

2009-05-11T22:13:00.006+02:00

MY POOR BABY!!! When I came home today this is what Lalla looked like :( The poor girl fell and busted the inside of her lip and nows it's all fat and bruised!
She's feelin fine today as you can see from our photo shoot!

Perfect Birthday Weekend

2009-05-11T15:56:00.003+02:00

So I had an awesome birthday and it was because of all the wonderful people I have in my life! Here's what went down

1. Went out dancin with friends which...duuuhh...it was a blast!
2. Sunday at church everybody told me Happy Birthday
3. I got to talk to Mama, Granny Pannies, and Becca and tell them HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!! I love y'all so much!! You are the GREATEST Sister, mom, and Gradma I could have ever asked for!
4. Some friends took me out and we got pizza and watched some calcio! (Juventus vs Milan)
5. AND THEN...the best part....I GOT TO BE ON THE PHONE WHEN SPENCER OPENED HIS MISSION CALL!!!! He's serving in the L.A. California mission, spanish speaking! I am so proud of you Spencey!!
6. I got flowers and jewelry and cute pj's from friends
7. I got cards in the mail
8. I talked to everybody in mia famiglia!!
9. My package is FINALLY coming (I know you're relieved pappi)
10. I got SOOOO many emails from practically everyone I have ever known!!

THANK YOU EVERYBODY WHO EMAILED ME, SENT ME MESSAGES, OR JUST LOVES ME AND IS THERE FOR ME!!!! I miss everybody at home, but it was still a great birthday half way across the world from y'all.

Clean Laundry??

2009-05-06T23:09:00.003+02:00

Sooooooo I was hangin my Laundry out to dry today with Lalla and we were usin our normal sysytem....she hands me the wet clothes from the basket, and I put them on the rack.
But when I turned around to grab a sock, she was blowing her nose with it!!!! hahahaha I started to wonder how many of the clothes I hung were actually still clean.... :]

France anyone??

2009-04-28T17:46:00.025+02:00

So this is Nice, France. Andrea and I decided to hop over the border and check it out for a day. It was rainy and cold the whole time, but of course that didn't stop us from our fun!!!

I really wanted to write a message in a bottle so I thought France was a good place to fulfill that goal :) Of course we documented the significant event !!! ha ha Writing and professing my love...

Rolling...

Deciding which bottle to use....Went with the plastic one because it had a lid...

And there it goes!!!

Wishin and Hopin for my bottle to be found by one one, true love!Check out the sky, one direction was dark and stormy while the opposite direction was bright and sunny. It was nuts!

Sunday Update

2009-04-26T22:55:00.002+02:00

Okay first of all can I just say how much I love bide's?? I don't think I've ever mentioned them in this blog and they are definately on my top ten list (...maybe even my top five)! I am totally having one in my house when I get one.
Second, I AM AN AUNT AGAIN!!!!! WOOO I love it, but come on family...I NEED PICTURES!
Last...I am so happy right now. I love Italy. I love what I am doing and I love the things I am able to see and learn here. I am so thankful for this wonderful opportunity.
That's all!
Ciao Tutti!!!!!

P.S. France pictures to come :)

Heaven on Earth??...I think YES!

2009-04-24T14:23:00.048+02:00

I was sooooo lucky to spend all of Easter week in this beautiful town, Finale Ligure. I went with Andrea and her family (Mirco, Laura, Laura's mom, and their beautiful daughters Emma & Gaia)! I was also able to visit some of the surrounding cities--Finalborgo, and Varigotti!

We found a trail and decided to hike up and it led to an old watch tower and BEAUTIFUL views over the city!
Lookin out over the ledge....I think I almost gave Andrea a heart attack
Uhhhh...this says USA= dead :/
I had THE best runs ever here. These are the wooden sidewalks I ran on right along side the shoreline. I seriously ran with a HUGE grin on my face the whole time and I felt like I was in a movie because it was so perfect! Finalborgo! Emma & Gaia being Texas cowgirls!!!! :)
I am in LOVE with this picture of Emma! She was taking pictures with Andrea's camera and she looked so cute, so I snapped one of her!
I had just gotten there from the train station so that's why i'm in normal clothes!

Italian Football

2009-04-24T13:35:00.005+02:00

Last night I went to my first Italian football game with Andrea! And I thought Cowboys fans were crazy....woooo....they're nothin compared to hardcore Italian football fans! It was a blast!Inter vs Sampdoria. Inter won 1-0!!!!

The City of Bath

2009-04-02T13:43:00.025+02:00

This is the city of Bath! It was so fun, we got to go into the Roman Bath Museum and see the ancient temples and healing baths that the Roman's built! It was crazy. The we just walked around the city all day and the whole time I felt like I was in a Jane Austen movie! It was BEAUTIFUL! And please note the weather change from picture to picture....it was honestly the craziest weather I have ever been in. Much like the one day in Rexburg when we were playing football in the street...remember that Justin?? Hope y'all enjoy my adventures!! :)

Stonehenge :]

2009-04-02T13:10:00.013+02:00

Okay, so i realize there is only so much to see at Stonehenge, but I figured it needed it's own post because it is so INCREDIBLE! And trust me...I took WAY more pictures than this! But look how the sky changes in all the pictures, the weather was crazy this day! Me and Lesley were a little too happy to be going to Stonehenge ha ha

LONDRA!!!!

2009-04-01T22:09:00.051+02:00

Oh London! What an amazing city. There is so much history and beauty here. I loved it! Lesley was an amazing "tour guide" and "host" as you can see from the video! ;) We had so much fun just walking around a looking at EVERYTHING. THANK YOU LEZZLE!

"Sorry"

2009-03-21T21:39:00.004+01:00

Okay, can I just say that I am so in love with these kids. They make me so happy everyday! Last week Fede got in trouble and he got really mad at me for it. Then after he calmed down he brought me this....
....And I wanted to cry because he had tears in his eyes when he told me sorry. It's so hard for me to get mad at these kids becasue they are so loving and wonderful. But we had a really good talk about what happened and the rest of the day was perfect!

Sickis!

2009-03-21T21:24:00.006+01:00

So all last week Ricci was sick...and now all this week Lalla has been sick with high fevers and coughing. Poor kids, they have been falling asleep almost everyday.

Girl Time!

2009-03-21T20:45:00.008+01:00

The boys were both gone for the day so it was just me and Lalla! She LOOOOVES swinging so we were outside for a while...just listen to her laugh in the video, I love it. Oh and here's the story about the other video....So she always says "Mamma Mia," and one day I called her Chiquita Bonita...so now she ALWAYS says "Mamma Mia Chiquita Bonita!" I LOVE IT!!! This is my little Lalla :)

Ricci's Birthday

2009-03-04T15:30:00.018+01:00

Birthday Boy!

BELLISIMA VENEZIA!!!!

2009-03-03T22:18:00.032+01:00

Sad to leave this BEAUTIFUL place :/

First picture in VENICE! Okay...and between me and Andrea we took sooooooooo many, so I'll try to just post the best and hopefully they won't bore you all! Everything was just so perfect I HAD to take a picture of it!! :] We stayed in a little hotel called Hotel Astoria and it was right in the Piazza San Marco...PERFECT LOCATION!!!!

Lovin EVERY Second!

2009-03-03T21:54:00.009+01:00

Ricci Stayed home from school today becasue he's getting over his fever and it was so pretty and sunny so we had a picnic outside!!! He made me close my eyes and wait for him and this is what he surprised me with!!!! hahaha I LOVE this boy :]

So this is the view of Lake Como from the top....but I don't know why I didn't move so there wasn't a huge tree in the way! haha MY BAD!

Me and Andrea above Lake Como

Ricci in his Ratatouille outfit pealing octopus! YUCK!

Sunday Outing to the Park!

2009-02-16T16:04:00.009+01:00

...Until the fire men showed up and started putting it out!

Just warmin up by the fire...no big deal...

So we found a fire and freaked out because it was just in this field. But then people kept walking by saying "oooo Che bella...guarda....che bella" Soo when nobody freaked out we figured it was a "controlled" fire!

Sari is so proud of her "low-crotch" pants!

Milano

2009-02-16T15:38:00.010+01:00

Soooo...they were handing out free choclate all day, everywhere you walked...and of course I ate free chocolate. Until I found out that they had alcohol in them! That could have been why everything was so funny that day!! :]

In front of Duomo (a HUGE cathedral that is old, old, old...i forgot how old...) The balloons were for Valentines day!

Don't worry dad, I'm just posing for all the Italian men on the train;)

Me and Sari on the train to Milano...the wrong train might I add! haha we got so lost, missed our other train, got home really late...It was a fun day!!!

Tex Mex Night!!!!!!!

2009-02-08T13:50:00.003+01:00

Pizza for the kids...again fuzzy...sorry.

I don't know why my camera was fuzzy :( but I HAD to put this up! Laura's Canadian Au Pair, Andrea, showed her pictures of Dolly parton online and that was her insperation!!!! I would definately say that she and Mierco won the "best dressed" award.

Some of the cowboys and cowgirls! I couldn't even stop laughing when Mierco and Laura walked in the house!! They were hoopin and hollerin and please just look at Mierco's hat!!!...and shirt...It was perfect--And if you only saw him in his normal dress. ALWAYS perfect from head to toe in beautiful gucci or dolce and Gabbana, it was hysterical!

YEEE HAAAWW! Tex Mex night was a Blast. Simona and I cooked ALL afternoon on Saturday and decorated to make things as Texan as we could. We had 12 adults and 8 kids, so it was a full house! And EVERYBODY was was dressed like a Texan. That's right, Italians in boots, hats, plaid shirts, bandanas, the works! Barbara even were spurs!!! The food was delicious and the whole night was spent laughing with friends!! GRAZIE GRAZIE GRAZIE to Granny and Becca for helping me with the DELICIOUS recipes!!! It all turned out amazing. And of course Simona for helping me cook and put this whole thing together!

More fun

2009-02-05T23:36:00.008+01:00

Me and Andrea trying to pass the time while waiting for Simona and laura to be done tryin on their 400 euro shoes! haha

How cute is he?? VERY!

My first Italian ice cream! :]

Giacomo

Me and Giorgia....I watch her brother, Giacomo, two days a week and she had stayed home from school this day because she was sick.

Medesimo

2009-02-05T21:53:00.015+01:00

Me and Simona at dinner. It was this DELICIOUS restaurant with really homemade Italian food. SO yummy...and they just keep bringing you food. I was stuffed! And at the end....they bring out lots of different alcohols to help you "digest" and one of them had a dead snake in it!!!!! A WHOLE ONE...eyes and everything...and people actually drink it. I have no clue why...it was so disgusting!

Ricci trying to get me out of bed so we could play!

The boys were so excited to ski that they snuck in my room super early on Saturday morning and woke me up while everyone else was still sleeping :]

On Saturday morning Marco and the boys went out skiing (I went skiing that afternoon with Marco, but I forgot to take my camera...so I'll get pics next time we come!)and me Simona, and Lalla walked around town and she showed me all the shops and places she likes to go! We took turns pushing Lalla because it was uphill and so tiring!! We definately got our work-out in for the day. And the weather was perfect..blue clear skies, SUNNY...wonderful.

This is the view from the balcony of the house...the ski lift is on the opposite side and to the left is the mountain where you ski!!

So this is the living room in the cute little mountain house in Medesimo. The house was really tiny, the living room, a dining room, TINY kitchen, like a closet, two bedrooms and a bathroom. It was so Italian! ha Medesimo is a tiny little town all in the valley of a mountain. It was BEAUTIFUL! And the location of the house was PERFECT. You walk right out the door and take ten steps and you're at the ski lift. It was such a fun, relaxing weekend of skiing, eating amazing food, reading, playing hide-and-seek with the kids, walking around the shops, and just laughing and having fun!

Haha...so I normally don't wake up to anything, but for some ODD reason I woke up to the boys SILENTLY tip-toeing (how do you spell that??) into my room. As soon as they saw me open my eyes they started laughing and jumped under the covers with me!

Justin....Check it!

Videos of the kids

2009-02-05T15:38:00.005+01:00

I was trying to teach Ricci how to blow a bubble! SO FUNNY. He eventually did it a couple of times, but I never caught it on video. Just listen to how cute his voice is...spencer I think of you everytime he says "like dis...." hahahahhaa

Lalla wanted to sing a song...It's an Italian song she learned at the kindergarten.

Fedde LOVES to dance and be crazy with music. haha He and Ricci seriously did this for almost an hour one day.

My Kiddos!

2009-02-04T23:31:00.012+01:00

Fedde (Federrico) is 8 and definately the older brother of the group. He likes to be in charge and call all the shots! Anything makes him happy, as long as you are with him playing he will have a good time. He loves, break dancing, playing the drums (sambo, he thinks it's so cool that you play drums!), playing sports, ANYTHING! Oh...and now that he has cowboy boots, he loves playing cowboys vs. indians....or sometime cowboys vs. pirates or police. hahahaha

How can you not LOVE this face!?? ha ha the leftover face paint was from a birthday party

Ricci (Riccardo) is my little cuddle bug! He loves, hugs, sitting in your lap, and just knowing that you love him too. He is so funny to talk to because he gets really excited and his high little voice gets even higher and louder and he talks really fast! haha I love it. He ALWAYS brightens my day with a hug, a kiss, a smile or just by telling me a story. His birthday is in 3 weeks and he is turning 5. We're planning a costume party and going all out!

Dance Party!!! Lalla is always the announcer :]

Lalla (Mariavittoria) is 3 and probably the cutest girl I have seen. She understands english, but she usually answers in Italian. haha So I have to remind her to say things in English. But now she will start to say something and then stop and say it over in English for me! She is also Miss Independent! She likes to do things her way, but as long as you are there to watch. Most of all she just wants to be loved and have fun!

Seregno, Italy!!!

2009-01-29T15:42:00.021+01:00

This was the saddest day in Italy...I felt like I was in Rexburg. Luckily it was sunny the next day and the snow melted

This street is where I go to teach English lessons to Nicolo (7) & Diletta (5). This is what a typical "neighborhood" looks like! Friendly huh??! Ha

This is the center of Seregno. I walk through here everyday to get everywhere. It is such a cute town. But it's taken me a while to learn the Italian schedule here. From around 9:30 in the morning until noon, only food stores are open. Then EVERYTHING closes during lunch time, which is 12:30-3:30. So that's why the streets were totally empty when I took this picture. Then After lunch all of the clothing stores and other shops are open. It's crazy....I'm finally getting used to it now.

So this is totally where I live! The house is beautiful!! The little house all the way to the right is where Nonno & Nonna live (grandpa and grandma....but they are actually Marco's grandparents, so great grandparents to the kids). Simona didn't want me to take pictures until Spring when the garden looks pretty, but I still think everything is awesome! To the left of the house (not in the picture) is the garden and a small room/house with glass walls. They use it for paaaaaaarties during summer! I can't wait!!!

Dad- I'm goin to lay out every day :]