Flower show

Last Sunday, Jacqueline and I went to the Pordenone flower show. It was just like a home and garden show back in the states. She had to dress the part including flowery underwear! Thankfully, you won't be seeing that. Note the flower shirt, flower coat, flower shoes and flower skirt!

She sat on tractors, looked in motorhomes, had a butterfly land on her and we got shoved around a bit (the Italians don't like lines). We purchased a lemon tree, some strawberry bushes and a basket.

Yesterday, one of my girlfriends who is leaving this summer took me a on a field trip. We went to a bunch of stores and saw a terrific artist who paints easter egg ornaments and the like. Easter Egg trees are big here. I now have one, thanks to another friend. My other girlfriends took me to a store in Sacile that will stuff a big chocolate easter egg for you! Yum and fun all at the same time.

We also had a fabulous lunch by a stream. The rosemary bread was fresh and tasted just like rosemary bread should (we also had good cheese and eggplant on the sandwich along with a bottle of prosecco). Yummmm.

Boo Hoo

Our baby is no longer a baby.

Friday - snow

The day after our beautiful day on Monday, it snowed. I was out trimming the roses lamenting that the snow on the mountains was gone.
I went to Italian the next morning then to a friend's house. I was only in there 2 hours and when I walked outside it had dropped 10 degrees and it was snowing about 3/4 the way down the mountain. I was just in disbelief and hadn't dressed the kids accordingly. This is what happens when you don't have the weather channel.
Yesterday, my girlfriend Cheryl, who speaks fluent Italian, took me to the big supermercato (grocery store) to show and tell me what to buy. Let's just say at the end of my shopping trip, I had 151 euros worth of groceries in my cart! Julia, pictured above, is enjoying the Nutella, which is available is the states. If you haven't had it, get it. Today. Like Bridget, another friend says, it is like crack for chocoholics. It is made in all sorts of containers here for portability.
My girlfriend Amy came over today and really helped make my house a home. I am going to miss her when she leaves this summer (as many of my terrific friends are). We drank Prosecco and hung pictures - kind of dangerous, but they look straight and no one was injured.
The other day my neighbor's dog got out. He is such a sweetie, but has a really big bark. I was yelling at him to go home etc. for at least 5 minutes then I realized, I was yelling at him in English. Ummm...yeah... he's an Italian dog like that was going to work. I really hope none of my neighbors saw this.
The same night I had taken Jacqueline's headband (hot pink and orange) from her, but I had no where to put it but on my head. Yes, I went around talking to people the rest of this night with the headband on my head.
Where is that Prosecco?

Nothing much - again

It is finally sunny and about 60 degrees! I trimmed my roses today and I've been cleaning out the garage. We've truly been in a fog here for two weeks along with some drizzle. My neighbor told me today that it is suppose to rain tomorrow and get cold (I thankfully understood it - whew!). Well, I'm glad we took the girls to the playground yesterday.

Julia is loving reading. She woke up this morning and did the sign for books and pointed to her shelf. I love love love that is all she wants to do. It's terribly pathetic as she crawls around the house with a book in her hand looking for someone to read it to her. Awww.

Jacqueline has announced that she will never kiss a boy because it is too slobbery. Michael was glad about this pronouncement. She is wrapped up with turning 4 this month. Jacqueline and I love pulling over at the flight line and watch the planes take-off. Last week, we watch a plane take off full of men and women going downrange.

She wears her princess dress G'ma Cercone gave her everywhere. It's now ripped so I must become a seamstress so the princess can wear it again. It's pretty funny watching the Italian's expressions when she goes everywhere (including the pizzeria) in this dress and tiara with matching shoes, of course.

We had a welcome home party for two people in Michael's office who just came back from Iraq. Please remember those who are serving - I can't even begin to tell you how hard it is. Both of these terrific people have kiddos they left behind for four months.

I'm signing up for ItalianIII. I have no reason why I should be doing this since 1/2 the time I can't remember how to ask "How much does this cost?" or I speak in French. Still tutoring, but I must try since I live here and Jacqueline will be fluent soon enough.

strawberries and mexican food

Okay, who would have thought a trip to Slovenia would have yielded delicious strawberries and terrific Mexican? We are so fortunate to border Slovenia (the former Yugoslavia). It is just a beautiful country and we are already making plans to go back.

We traveled there with some friends for the President's Day weekend. It is a two-hour drive away on the Autostrada (the Capitol, Lbjuilana). We stayed at a very pleasant Best Western, but when we checked-in we had a tiny room. The folks at the front desk upgraded us to a suite! YEAH.

Lbjilana is an interesting architectural mix of very old baroque style architecture and 60's architecture. Let's just say the 60's buildings aren't kind to the skyline.

It was extremely cold so we bundled up and headed out to the market. It is a huge market in the Old City. It unfortunately closes up at 2 so we only had a little while to wander around. Most of the vendors spoke English and the prices were so much cheaper than here. Jacqueline trained her eye on a huge box of strawberries - about the equivalant of two pints in the US. The box was only 4 Euros ($6.75). These strawberries were heaven. We couldn't keep our hands out of them b/c they smelled so much like.... strawberries. They also just burst in your mouth. We had to buy more so we did.

For lunch I had pizza - it was a layered pizza with the sauce etc. inside the flaky crusts. Michael and the girls had hot dogs. We loved the way they made them - they took a long roll, shoved it on a steel round thing to make a hole, then put your mustard inside the hole, then, the dog - NO MESS! I still can't believe we ate outside b/c of the cold.

We wandered around the Old Town some more then went shopping! The shopping is so great (and it is sale time). I had just tried to buy a sweater or two in Sacile. I couldn't bring myself to purchase them b/c they were no less than 85 Euro ($150). There was an H and M, Zara, a big mall and lots of little shops with terrific prices.

We then headed back to the very dangerous pastry shop on the bottom floor of our hotel. Jacqueline ordered some lemonade with her strawberry cake and it was that - lemon juice only with no sugar. Puck up. I think that was the only bad thing we had (yes, we tried adding sugar).

We wandered around some more and rested. We headed to Joe Pena's.

Chips and salsa, the true test. Delish and much better than our old Mexican place in Virginia.

I had a quite tasty margarita. Everyone's food was so good we decided we just drive here for a day for the Mexican food.

The next morning we headed up to the castle. It was a clear day so we had stunning views of the Julian Alps. Jacqueline headed up to the turret. There is evidence the castle was intially built in the 12th century B.C.

We wandered around the city some more. Looking at the river and the buildings. We were a little curious why on one side of the river there was no grafitti while the other walls were covered with it.

Later in the day, we hopped in some taxi's and went to the huge American styled movie theater to see "Enchanted" in English! It was too cold for more exploring. They have assigned seating in the theaters, which we thought was ingenious. None of our cell phones would work to call another taxi so the very sweet guys at the coffee bar called us one.

We ate at the hotel - one of our friends had "roasted kid" just b/c we were pretty curious as to what they would bring out. We also drank Slovenian wine. Michael enjoyed his steak. Again, another great meal.

We left for our quick drive back home on President's Day. What an unexpected treat.

pictures of January travels

yes, we are still here

Okay, It's been awhile, but I went to Texas for the holidays (3 weeks) and then Mom came back with me for 3 weeks and just left! Yowza, how time flies.
Well, I am totally in love with Venice. Mom and I went twice during her time here. It is just empty in January and February. We walked straight into St. Mark's with no wait. We also found a church, which Jacqueline made us go into, that took our breath away. I've figured out the vaperetto system a little better. We went one time on Fat Tuesday with Jacqueline in costume. She posed with everyone. I now understand why people love Venice. It is so different than any other city in the world b/c of the water.
Our whole family went to Garmisch, Germany for a conference. We stayed at a U.S. facility there and I heartily enjoyed a margarita and Starbucks coffee. The highlight was going to Cinderella's castle. We had to go in horse and carriage. I still can't believe I went and the inside is just as beautiful as the out. We throughly enjoyed our drive on the "Romantic Road." We also went to a monastary where they brew beer and had some delicious cheese. Jacqueline also went skiing for the first time!
Mom and I traveled to Aquilea about an hours drive from here. The mosaic floor, constructed in 313, is the largest mosaic in the Western Hemisphere.
I've been getting yelled at (one time by the nuns) for not dressing the girls warm enough. I just though, "and you don't put your kids in car seats and your giving me a lecture?!!!"
Julia is on the verge of walking, but believe me, I am not pushing it with my tile floors and marble stairs.
Mom enjoyed her pizza and had her first taste of gnocci.
I am back to Italian classes tomorrow - ugh. Just pray for me that I have some breakthrough. I am so far behind.