Flowers for Algernon

I'm awaiting my destiny.  For 7 days this stomach bug has hit everyone in my family, except for me.  Last night, Celia was the latest victim.  Fingers crossed that I can have a different outcome...and that we can finally get out of the house and be in the world again. :)

Wild Kingdom at our doorsteps

I'm a city girl. I'm not anti-animals, but I'd never willingly choose to pet one. Celia, on the other hand, wants to make every animal she sees her pet. She's tried twice in the last week.

While we were taking a bike ride, I saw her throw her bike down and rush over to pick something up. When I got to her, this is what I saw in her hands (it's a small snake - eww). Of course I immediately wondered and worried that it might be poisonous...while she was already naming it.

This "pet" came from our yard. These (Italian wall lizards) are everywhere here. Apparently it bit Dean because he came running over to me crying; Celia later said it bit her about 5 times, but it has no teeth so she just kept holding it. I guess Celia was holding it and showing it to Dean when it bit him. He was heartbrooken over the bite, as was she when I wouldn't let her keep it. Quote from Celia (through dirt stained tears): "But he's my first pet that's close to a dinosaur."

These short lived "pets" only added more to her desire to have a dog. Celia: "Mom, if you got a dog for me I would stop pleading with you."

She prays, asks, plans for a family dog on almost a daily basis. Luckily we can play the allergy card (when in truth, I'm pretty much intimidated by all dogs, large or small, so I'd NEVER have one in my home). :)

Sports Day

Celia's school had its annual sports day.  All the kids (and their families) had to wear their assigned team color.  Somehow Celia ended up on the yellow team?  :)  We also brought in a snack to share.  I had to laugh that the protocol was to give your item to the school chef, who then turned it into something much prettier and yummier (ie. my croissants and nutella).  She's a very sweet lady who always has her white apron and chef hat on and always speaks very fast, loud Italian to me. 

The teachers and parents at this school are so welcoming and nice.  We are so lucky that Celia gets to attend school here.

Celia and her sports day partner, Isabella (who is Italian, but was born in Cincinnati--small world).

Me and my favorite Reception student.

Dean joined in too!

She was kind of a rock star at this one.

She got a little freaked out at first because she thought they had to pop the balloon (a major "fear" of hers), but then got back into competition mode when she realized they just had to run with it.

Marostica

Last Sundy we went to the town just next to us (Marostica) to hike up the castle.  Although I'm not much of hiker (I'm more of the type to want to get from point A to point B as fast as possible...ie running or driving :), but Drew likes to hike, so I do. :)  Even with a 2 and 5 year old.  Plus this hike ended with a treat, so I was game.

See the castle way up there...THAT'S how far we hiked.

A view from midway up.

Leave it to Celia to find an actual fossil on the hike.  Impressive.

Made it to the top!

The town square at the bottom of the castle.  Happened to be a car show that day.  Talk about luck.  Dean was pretty excited to find some Docs and McQueens.  He got to sit in a red convertible-a dream come true. :) 

Moristica is also know for its cherry growing.  We bought some from a local vendor...yummo!

The Watson Dome

The landlady had our yard re-done last week.  I think all we need are yardlines and a Colts helmet in the middle, and we'll be good to go. 
 

In all honesty, it doesn't look great and there are a lot of bumps and ridges, but it's nice that it doesn't get muddy and the kids don't get grass stains!

Crasho

Well, I guess Celia didn't want Dean to be the only one that got to visit the Italian hospitals here.

Took a spill on the bike (she wasn't even doing any of her "tricks"---i guess some rocks just got under her tire)went head first into a small lightpole by our house (thank goodness for helmets). Ended up with three stitches and some bruising. She was pretty freaked out in the beginning, but by the end of the night was excited to go to school and "show off." She carries her head and looks at you quite dramtically (shock, right?).

Scene of the crime

Festa della Mamma!

A weekend of day trips.

What's great about our location here is that we are so close to other great towns.  On Saturday we went to Padova and toured the Butterfly and Insect Museum and of course Celia and Dean LOVED it!  Then after lunch we headed to Verona and toured the castle there.  Verona is a beautiful city-it's easy to see why Shakespeare chose it as his setting.

Pretending to be scared of the large insect

On our way to the castle in Verona.

Top of the castle in Verona

Overlooking the bridge the leads into the castle

On Sunday we went to Venice (only our second time since being here) to celebrate Mother's Day.  Celia and Dean were most excited about getting to see pigeons in Piazza San Marco.  :)

We just arrived!  It's a beautiful Italian day!

Celia and Dean enjoying their "so not" Italian lunch of pbj's in Piazza San Marco.  Don't worry, the grown-ups did it right with bruschetta and prosecco.

Celia and Dean standing still so a pigeon would land on them.  (GROSS---way out of my comfort zone!  I have to say that all these birds freaked me out a bit and I had to leave Drew to supervise this.)

Enjoying our gondola ride.  Ahhhh...a great way to end the weekend.

Ritorniamo

After 3 weeks for Shannon and the kids, and 2 weeks for Drew, we're all back in Italy again.  The flight was very easy, especially considering we had a near-4-hour layover in New York, we sat on the plane for over an hour before it took off, then the meals were late and a little wrong.  The kids were great, slept great, and we had fun.  We got to Italy with sunny and 70 degrees weather, had a nap, then played outside and rode bikes all afternoon.  After showers and baths, we went to Da Fernando for our regular pizzas and prosecco before hitting the sack.  Let's hope we get a solid night's sleep, and the jetlag is gone soon!