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.