Fun in the Sun

So my husband travels frequently for his job which means I get to travel frequently to see new places too! Whenever he gets an email about a meeting or a training course he has to take his first move is to call me and say "How do you feel about..." Well this summer it was "How do you feel about Cyprus?" And let me tell you I feel amazing about Cyprus!

I know we saw a good amount of the island, experienced quite a few new things but in all actuality it felt like we were in the pool all the time. And I'm completely okay with that! Me and the kiddos started every day by hanging out in the pool for a few hours, then while they napped I hung out on our balcony and worked on my needlepoint project and after my husband finished up "working hard for the money" we went off to explore something new.  It was the perfect summer vacation formula: a little sun, a little history/sightseeing  and a ton of fun!

Mr Cool and look at princess touching the Sand!

I will admit to being a bit bummed when we walked off the plane in Cyprus because I was thinking Greece and got Tel Aviv. It looks very Middle Eastern and not the least bit Greek- all sand, hills and a little green not the least bit white with crystal sapphire blue water. Getting over that I saw the palm trees, felt the near constant breeze and decided I could enjoy this :)  and enjoy we all did!

Yummy lunch by the pool

Not straying far from the pool even for food

On Sunday afternoon we crossed over the border, through the Demilitarized Zone into Turkey. It was amazing to see the difference and they are less than a block apart. I love that the UN chose to use olive trees to delineate the border. What better reminder that peace is achievable?

Young olive trees

Now remember that I am a huge history nerd, so seeing an old cathedral turned into a Muslim Mosque was cool. It was like neat to see in real life exactly how conquerors and religions just absorb what is already there and make it fit the new regime or religion. 

Stained glass replaced by Arabic writing.

You can just barely see how a steeple was replaced by a parapet. 

The saints were removed from the arches

We also saw a Greek Monastery, friends and took the kids to their very first movie. But by the best part of vacation- two zonked out babies! Nothing like sun and fun to wear em out.

Hines up and zonked out!

Cha Cha Changes

So the day I have been dreading since last winter has finally arrived, my "bestest friend E-rie" has started Scuola Materna.  To be truthful I did not think it would be such a huge transition in our life, but just goes to show you I don't know much! It seems like this one change has affected almost every aspect of our lives from daily routines, to budgets and meals too.

My day starts when my phone alarm rings out at 4:55, then the fitbit buzzes at 5 and my ipad starts singing to me at 5:01 (I'm tough to wake up!).  After all that I'm still not usually flinging back the covers until 5:20 and then its exactly 60 minutes to get myself clean and dressed. Kiddos up at 6:30, hair done, shoes on and sitting at the table by 7 (we don't put on clothes until after breakfast) and out the door to take the dog on a walk at 7:40. And by 8 we are all headed to school so we can drop her off before all 26 kids are in her classroom. Even though I know exactly what this is supposed to look like and have it planned to the minute I'm still feeling cranky and rushed just trying to get the dog out for a walk. Thank goodness E-rie and Wildman entertain each other the whole 20 minute walk because that gives me enough time to get over my bad mood.

Since the Wildman is, well, wild we then hoof it to the park for him to play. Thankfully there is a great cafe there where I can sit, enjoy my cappuccino and spend about 10 minutes preparing my plan of attack for the rest of the day. Usually after I'm done Wildman has decided I'm worthy to be in his presence and we do some serious playing for like an hour. Poor guy misses his sissy so much during the day that I try to do everything I can to make it as fun much as possible. He is beyond excited when he hears my phone alarm go off at 3:30 because he knows it means we get to go see sissy! "Sissy Mama... Shoes and feet... Sissy Mama"

Once we are home from school it is dinner, baths, taking the dog out again, stories and bed. After they are snoring away I can do all of the stuff that needs to happen to make the next day roll smoothly- you know iron clothes, pick up and hose down the kitchen!

Have you noticed what's missing? My workout! I can't seem to figure out where to fit that in so it still makes sense. I'm usually a get up and do it in the morning but I tried that and it got skipped more often then it got done. I guess I will have to try it at night, but by then I've usually lost my mojo. For now I'm just glad that my usual routine means I'm walking anywhere from 5- 6 miles a day.

I never said we were thrilling, exciting people- just traveling fools! And since she is in school we have to actually plan those trips before the week before now. But never fear we will be hitting the road at least once this fall, Edinburgh Scotland.

Who knew that starting school was such a huge change? Thankfully everyone here seems to be adjusting and loving it!

Happy Day!
Erin

Whoosh... It flew by!

I don't know about you but I feel like I blinked and my summer was over! All the way back in May I was feeling like there was a ton of time to do everything I had thought up and more and now I feel like we got a whole bunch of nothing accomplished. Considering the amount of pictures I have from this summer I must have done something besides sit on my rump. So here we go, a photo recap of my jam packed but fun nonetheless summer.

First up it was a trip back home.  A great time to catch up with friends, soak up family time and meet my little nephew.

A toast to the new family of three!

Then it was a quick stop in Italy and off to our "vacation" in Cyprus. It was really a work trip for my hubby but the kids and I decided to tag along and hang out by the pool, the beach, see some sights and catch a movie. 

Too Cool for School!

Future Star of Cocktail the remake!

Just a couple of gals working on their tans

Mama its a mooobie, on a big TV! 

Another quick layover in Italy and it was time to head back over the pond to celebrate with family once more. While the whole family was together we toasted E-rie's third birthday. I'm pretty sure the adults had more fun at the little kid amusement park than the kids!

This boy loves him a hat!

All the girl needs is a balloon and a bell.

Hi! Truck!

Sweet Boy!

What the heck???

I'm pretty sure he drives like that in real cars too!

Then we all gathered to celebrate Peanut's initiation into the family of faith. I love baptisms, their symbolism and the beauty of the ceremony. I feel so honored that I got to share in his special day and am able to serve as a godmother to Peanut.

The whole crew. 

Bring this white garment unstained to the Kingdom of Heaven...

Back to Italy once more and this time the visitors were coming to us! My parents came this time to visit Venice once more and to revel in E-rie's first day of school. Quite the day, quite the summer actually. Now life has settled into a routine that includes walks to school and trips to the park- but don't let me fool you, we are already talking about our next trip! Until then...

Happy Day!

Erin

Thank you!

My husband and I have been so lucky to be blessed with amazing friends.  Every time we travel back to the States they are willing to rearrange their schedules, open their homes and arrange dinners all just to welcome us. My family and I are fortunate to be surrounded by such wonderful examples of sisterhood, brotherhood, fraternity, and friendship. I can never say it enough- Thank You! Each and every one of you mean the world to me, Jimmy and our children. We look forward to when we can see you again- how does everyone's calendar look for New Years Eve?!

ZLAM, 

Happy Day!

Erin

PS: How is it with all of these parties we do not have a picture of everyone? We need to make it happen when we get together next! 

Bye bye ciuccio

Now I'm not a very emotional person. I might tear up once in a while but you will never catch me crying at a movie or commercial (like some sisters I may know). However when I realized Wildman had bitten of the end of his Gigi ciuccio I was heartbroken. Maybe it was just the realization that my baby was one step closer to being a big boy or maybe it was the fact that I'm almost certain he is our last baby and is no longer a baby or maybe I was sad he was losing a trusted friend. Or maybe it was all of the above. Whatever the reason I was expecting tears from him and not me when he said "bye bye Gigi ciuccio". He was such a brave big boy and just gave him a hug and said "mama trash". I'm constantly amazed at the small events in life that signal they are growing up. I'm excited to see what the new phase in his life brings, but I will miss my baby boy. 

Just between us though that ciuccio will not be going in the trash quite yet! 

Happy Day!

Erin

Excuse the fuzzies- it is his first selfie :)

Just let me pay you $30

 I swear people who design websites do not ever have to use them! Wildman is 21 months old- no longer an infant and not a child yet either. I just want to pay for him to have his own seat and not hold him for over 17 hours. Not a strange request right? Well you would think I was asking for the moon. Online I can't buy him a seat because he is too young and so when I call the telephone number the rate skyrockets! Over an hour on the phone, two representatives and a few supervisors later and hopefully soon Wildman will have a ticket... 

Please Air France just let me pay you! 

Happy Day!

Erin

It's done...finally

I finally finished wildman's belt! Upon inspection I realize I need to work on keeping even tension and making sure my thread is not twisted, but since it is my first one and it is finished I'm going to call it a success. And I even finished it in time for him to actually wear it. Now just to get it to The Sign of the Arrow to have them add the buckle so he can model it of course!

I wonder what I should do next?