Sperlonga

There is one thing that Dennis and I have always done as a married couple. BEACH! We would take two vacations. One between March and May for a weekend in Ocean City, just the two of us (until we had kids). The other we would take South Carolina at North Myrtle Beach. The kids and I would spend one month with Mom and Dad. One glorious month! Dennis would come for two weeks during the month. Every year in october we would pack up the car and head down! A lot of you might think that taking a vacation with your parent(s) is crazy. Well most of you don't have my parents! A month was never long enough. My mom and dad would help so much with the kids and we would all play in the ocean and the sand almost every day!

When we moved here I was a bit sad that I wouldn't get to take that vacation. I missed the beach even though we live minutes from the ocean, there's no real "beach" in the sense that we're used to. Big big rocks line the shore. A lot of people strip down to bra and underware (or nothing at all) and lay on the big rocks. Just not for me! While I like to go and walk the street along the ocean, swimming is just not an option due to all the polution. Dennis asked around and with some research we found Sperlonga! A beautiful beach which is said to have the friendliest people and cleanest ocean front. They do testing on their water and even have treatment plant in the ocean that keeps the shorefront water clean at all times. It is called the pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea.

We loved Sperlonga the minute we hit the quaint town and walked down it's beautiful streets. You have to pay to get onto the beach front. With that you get a couple of chairs and an umbrella. Although crowded, the people are down to earth and friendly and you feel welcomed instantly. Pepper and Ava made a friend instantly and together they played super heros! Amazing how language has no barrier for children. Our family spent quite a while there and a few months later, we took mom and dad back. The beach was empty except for a few other stragglers and a club that rode horses through the sand and waved as they passed. We all knew who was in seventh heaven with the horses!

As you can see from the picture, the town of Sperlonga sits high above the ocean itself and lends itself to a beautiful view. Vendors (like the one you can see on the left hand side of this picture) walk up and down the beaches with

things like jewelry, sun hats, and floaties.

The isle of Capri

We've been to some really great places while we've been here so far, but one of my favorites has been the Isle of Capri. I was so excited to go to the Island for one reason. The blue Grotto cave. To get into this cave, you must first take a small engine powered boat to the cave from the island. Then in the middle of the ocean, you go from the small engine powered boat to a row boat. If you look at where the light is coming through in the picture you'll see that it is a small hole. In order to get into the cave you have to literally lay down flat in the boat to go through the entrance. Dennis is so scared of enclosed spaces that he in no way would've gone with me! I took a friend of ours Brian.

Once we got into this cave, I knew that God had reached down at that very moment and stuck his hand in that ocean at that exact spot. When I sat up in that boat and looked down, it literally took my breath away. The blueness and the light that shown under that water is like a glow from 1000 angels. The picture doesn't do it justice and I highly recommend it.

Beyond the cave, the town of Capri was beautiful in it's own right. We took a trolly up through the hills of Capri and had a wonderful view. The small shops, beautiful restaraunts and old churches were so inviting. We walked and walked along the road of Capri, and stopped at a little restaraunt with a great view. I think everywhere had a great view! We walked so long that the prospect of walking back down the hill was not enticing what so ever! We hailed a taxi and rode back down the hill!

The kids spent some time in the ocean, but it was very rocky. In fact many of the beaches around are completely rocky with no sand at all. It was a bit hard on the feet! As you can see in this picture the water was beautifully turquoise. We loved spending time here, but not my favorite yet!

Going to throw out another lesson I learned living in Italy. Lesson #7

MEALS

Meals in Italy can be grueling. I know it sounds silly right? Italian eating is equal to marathon eating. Let me give you an example of a dinner, in order of courses.

1. wine

2.antipasta-a huge plate of cheeses, meats, melons and such. Frutta da mare (seafood)

3. zeppoli- A common fried dough sometimes made out of an olive bread which is to die for!!

4. Pasta- Spaghetti e vongole (clams), fettucini, pasta primavara

5. Meat. This can vary from porkchops to a slab of meat

6. Coffee

7. Dolce- Desert

8. more coffe

9. More desert

10 Limoncello (a lemon liquior that would melt steel)

All of this will finally end 3.5-4 hours later. Time in between lasts as long as you'd like it too, you tell the waiter when you are ready for the next course. Italians find it extremely rude to ask if you'd like something else, or rush you off of a table. It's so common for playgrounds to be at the restaraunts and you will always see children running from table to table and back and forth to and from the playground. Italians like the noise and the children. Children are the heart of Italy and to stifle them in any way is just wrong. In their view kids aren't supposed to sit down and act like an adult or they would be born an adult..as Rosa often whispers to me. I see the longer that I'm here, the more relaxed with the kids I become. The more relaxed I become, the happier they are. Don't get me wrong, Italians aren't perfect, but for now, we're the perfect fit!

Well....This is it in a nutshell...................for today!

My kids

I know some of you don't have kids yet, and I promise my blog isn't always going to be about them, but they are such a big part of my life. So today I want to write a little about how I feel.

My kids..Dennis, he's my little man. He's polite, loving, has a huge heart and is a big mamma's boy! On the other side, he's a rough and tumble kid, at times hyper and obnoxious...but what kid isn't at times?! We call him Pepper for two reasons...the first, is a little inside joke about my mother calling Dennis a little pepper (she was asking for a little pepper) at a restaraunt, which ensued in my father and I leaving, and eating at a different table in embarrasment. And the second is that I ate so much Thai, spicy, spicy thai that my baby boy came out looking like a pepper!

Lately, he's been so into playing his DSI, which I was totally against (he won it, I didn't buy it). Previously he had a leap pad that he played and would learn from it instead of sitting there like a zombie all day long. Well guess what? Now that he has one he sits like a zombie all day long! It's so hard to be a parent sometimes. I'm trapped between doing "what is right" in the worlds eyes ,and doing what makes him harmlessly happy. Does anyone have these problems??? Pepper has taught me to love unconditionally, to throw caution to the wind so to speak, let my hair down and have some fun!


On to Ava. She is hot tempered, a brute, and saucy! She loves her brother who is her hero and both mommy and daddy with all her heart. Lately she's been into Jesus. Yes, you've read it right....Jesus. She's struggling to learn the difference between Jesus and God, and she's truly trying to understand what is right and what is wrong in God's eyes. "Is I being a good gorrl" that's how she says girl. She once pointed to her heart and asked me what was there..I said "your heart" she said "yes, that's right, but what else". I, in my technical mommy teaching her the right thing said "nothing, just your heart, some skin and bone" Ava said "Jesus, mommy". Ava has taught me to see with my heart, to feel and not be so technical, and together we're learning that God has a special plan for the both of us.

Both of my kids bring different things to my life, but they are so full of love it makes my heart melt. I love creating memories with them. I remember growing up and having many good times spent with my family. I hope my kids can look back and have the same kind of memories.


I want to leave you today with another lesson learned in Italy..lesson #6.

6. Italians have a completely different schedule. Here's what I mean:
Italians usually open up stores around 8 30. By 8 30 I mean between 8 30 and 10. So, a store is scheduled to open at 8 30...you're lucky if they get there by 9. Everything shuts down from around 12 30 to 4 for Respito or Ripose, which means nap! Restaraunts open around 1 for lunch and again at between 7 and 9 for dinner. Dinner usually takes between 3 and 4 hours. Most restaraunts have a playground for kids! I'll tell you more about the meals next lesson!
Italians ALWAYS have time to talk. During work, in the middle of a street, or aisle. And to hurry them along is absolutely rude. The only thing Italians do quickly is drive! They drive fast to go eat slow...just how it is!

Well, this is it in a nutshell............................................for today!

So here we are again. In my never ending quest to document my time in Italy, I'mstarting up the blog..again.

I'm going to start with what I've learned so far in Italy. We've been here for 8 months give or take so far and I've learned so many exciting, and not so exciting things!

Here's my list:

1.Napolians are totally different than any other Italian, or species in the world.

They have their own language, their own customs and their own driving habits! They are totally different than their neighbors in Rome, tuscany or Venice!

2. When in Rome...drive like the Romans!!! Here in Italy I've had to relearn to drive! They drive fast, they pass on solid lines, and the police don't stop for speeding. Within my first 3 months here, I had someone hit and run the car (we weren't in it), and someone in a tiny tiny car do a Very wide right hand turn into a huge driveway. I thought he was turning left, and BAM..he hit me..or rather I ran into him. Which brings me to my next lesson learned.

3. Italians are awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The man I hit in the above mentioned accident, got out of his car, ran to my car (keep in mind, this accident was totally my fault) to make sure I was ok. I was a bit stunned, however unharmed. He offered me water and asked me to come in. We were at the entrance of his job. My italian wasn't exactly great at the same time (still isn't) and somehow we agreed that I would come back on Sunday when his sister would be able to talk to me. I showed up with Dennis and the kids on Sunday. The man turned out to be the owner of the flats business. He played with the kids, sent his employees out for coffee and chips and we talked for an hour before we got down to business. We signed the paperwork. Insurance works a bit differently here. He refused payment of which I was to pay him for the deductible..he insisted on paying it himself. In the months following Ivan (pronounced Eevahn) and I have become well acquainted, often seeing each other at the local cafe.

4. 1 Italian = 50...easily. In our first few weeks here in Naples, between the time adjustment, the different environment, and the air pollution the kids became sick with the "napolian" flu, ear infections, stuffy noses and general crankiness. In taking them to the Navy hospital, waiting for three hours and facing a huge bill (one of the downfalls to living as a civilian at a military base) another person told me that pharmacies in the area are often very helpful when it comes to illnesses such as these. Well...two sick kiddos and no help, shall I say enticed me to search on! I ended up at Communale pharmacia. I met Alasandra. She spoke little English, but quickly called her husband (who happened to be with NATO) and spoke very good English. She was able to help me. The next week, another ear infection. We went back to the pharmacy and we met Mimma. She spoke English very well and Alasandra instructed her to help us. Mimma invited us to her home before we left the store that day. Mimma and I have become such good friends. I've met her mother, her father, sister,brother,and her Fiance Rafaelle. Rafaelle introduced us to his sister, another sister (who lives in the states), mother, father, brother in law, and cousin. The list goes on and on.

We even had the oppurtunity to spend new years with Rafaelle, Mimma and their families. More on that later.

5. Fireworks, fireworks, and more fireworks. Italian LOVE fireworks and will set them off at any time of the day. For baby births, for new years (more on that later) for rain, for sun, and for a day that has no meaning whatsoever! Now I'm not talking about puny little fireworks. I'm talking about fireworks that would normally take a permit in the states! Big and beautiful. It took a while to get used to, but we quickly learned to love it as Dennis and I would sit out on our porch drinking wine and watching them late at night.

I'll continue this list tomorrow. I want to end by saying that Dennis, the kids and I are all doing well. We're really enjoying our stay and hope to travel more soon! Love and prayers to all.

This is in nutshell...............for today.

Another day, another fender bender

So yes, the title says it all. My first accident was not too long after we arrived. I and the kids parked the car and got out, soon after someone side swiped the car and drove off into the sunset. A couple of days ago while going to our Italian friends house, I was following a man who appeared to be making a lefthand turn in a small Italian car. I was wrong. He was making a right hand turn (Into a large driveway) that a US truck driving would do! I went straight, he hit me. I still love it here! I still have a lot to learn though!

l made it to our friends house. Her name is Mima and she is a young Italian that lives at home with her Sister and her Mama. The kids and I were invited to her house, which is an honor when you're invited and to not accept would be extremely rude. I really like Mima so of course I said yes. We had such a grand time. Mima's mama can't speak a lick of English but somehow were bonded instantly. I had finally arrived! I walked into this typical Italian house, with Rosemaries and statues of Jesus and Mary. I loved it, I really did. We were given gifts as soon as we walked in! Pepper received a car and track set and Ava a barbie Doll. I was given a beautiful bottle of perfume. But the gifts did not compare to seeing the kids play with Mama yelling Umpa!! I missed my mom at that moment, and can't wait to see her.

Mima's sister is studying language at a local college nearby in Naples. She know English, Spanish, and French. She's a sweet girl, I think a little more "wild" than Mima appears to be!

I met Mima soon after I arrived in Italy. We were all sick for weeks and our insurance coverage here in the Us sucks so we tried to just wait it out. Finally Pepper got his normal ear aches with an extremely high fever. I trudged over to the hospital. $500 bux and a 4 hour wait made me shutter. A nice guy whispered in my ear.."go out in town, find a pharmacy with a Dottore they can help." So I did. I met Mima who looked in Pepper's ear, gave him some tachidol (tylenol) and an antibiotic for his infection. Moving to Italy was a big adjustment on our health, they call it the Naples flu. We were sick for a couple of months and often trekked to the pharmacy to see Mima. We became friends quickly and I'm so happy about it.

Today's craft idea

The kids and I have been doing crafts when we are home. We don't always go running around, sometimes it is nice to sit at home for a while! A friend on facebook suggested a web site for Chunk Crayons. Basically you take all those crayons laying around your house. you know the ones, the broken ones lying in the corner of the bedroom, livingroom and playroom. Get all of those crayons, peel the paper off and set aside. Take a cupcake tin and spray it with Pam, preheat the oven to 275. Take the crayons and be creative with the grouping. Break them into small pieces and put the in the muffin tin. We grouped one with red, white, and blue. Did another with Pink and browns. Cook for about 6 or 7 minutes. Take out and you can take a toothpick and swirl the colors if you like. I put my tin in the freezer for about 15 minutes, take it out and pop the crayons out ready to use!

The kids before sticking crayons in oven!

Ready to stick in the Oven!

All cooked and ready to draw with

Well folks, this is it in a nutshell...for today!

So...I'm starting my blog again! My adventures in Italy.

We arrived in Italy on May 5th, what a wonderful time we're having. I really love it here. Dennis and I decided to live on the Support site in Gricignano which is about 15 minutes away from Naples. Lots of things to do for families and kids here so we're happy with our decision.

We've had a few adventures so far and are adjusting well. I have a few theories about driving in italy. Although it is notorious for their driving skills, I love it! I say that if we all drived like Italians, passing whenever and wherever no matter the oncoming cars, beeping to alert you that they are planning on not letting you through, flashing their lights to let you know that you're not going fast enough! The driving has been an adventure in itself!

Our first trip was to Capri. What a beautiful Island in Naples, with water so beautiful and blue. Our friend Brian went with us. Brian and I visited the blue Grotto which is a cave on the island. You have to take a smaller motor boat to the cave. At the cave's entrance you get into a row boat from the motor boat. In the entrance of the cave you have to lie flat down to get into it and WOW...well worth it! The water was the most beautiful blue, with a small ray of sun shining in. It was a gift from God and I knew it. The island itself had beautiful homes and gardens and quaint shops that I bought a heart necklace from. I'd love to post pictures here, but left my camera in a cab and upon flagging him down it was gone. Another italian lesson learned!

Our next grand adventure was to Bari Safari. What an amazing time we had. This is a drive through zoo. We took vegetables and fruit cut up for the animals in case we could feed them. Upon our arrival we were greeted by all kinds of deer. We saw tigers and lions and bears oh my! The kids were so excited to be able to feed camels, zebras, giraffes, and buffalo! What a great family outing.

That's it in a nutshell for today..more tomorrow!

Kids and their antics!

My kids are so adorable, but it utterly surprises and impresses me with the things they come up with, and sometimes even though it's not quite adorable, I still marvel at their thought processes and imaginations.

I'm listing some of things that I can remember that my kids have done and the things that I love about them

1. Pepper figuring out how to hook his CD player up to his TV so he can listen to it through that.
2. Ava and Pepper deciding that drinking pudding through a straw would be better than using a
spoon...it worked well and way less mess.
3. Pepper can clean his room very well when he wants to!
4. Ava imagines that she is a mommy and sticks a balloon up her shirt to act pregnant...where'd she get that from??!!!
5.Their ability to find fun anywhere, with a stick or box or whatever!
6. Pepper knows how to run the dvd player, and dvr. His thirst for knowledge is amazing.
7. Ava at 2 knew how to sing her ABC's
8. Pepper at 4 taught ava how to sing her ABC's
9. My kids will try anything and like the wierdest foods..Guac, hummus, they loooove crab legs, steak.
10. Maybe this isn't amazing, but it is to me, Pepper can draw people, and he gave us a picture of Den and I and himself and Ava, Den was holding Ava and I was holding his hand.

I'm sure there's more and I may add to the list as the day goes by, but if you have any lists of incredible things your kids do post them~