Tag: adventure

One perfect day (for us!) in Rome

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We miss Rome.  No bones about it.

What a strange phrase that really is.  I mean, I know what it means, but why on earth, right?  I just looked it up:

To make no bones about something means to say something in a way that leaves no doubt, or to have no objection to it.

The expression comes from fifteenth century England…if someone wanted to show that they were dissatisfied with something, they would find bones in it – a reference to finding bones in soup, which was not a pleasant discovery!

Therefore, finding bones was bad, and no bones was good. If you found no bones, you were able to enjoy the meal with no objections!

And now we know.

Anywho.  We miss Rome.  And it’s not just our friends there who we do miss very much.  That little slice of Italy got under our skin, and we’ll never be quite the same.

The other day at dinner we brainstormed on what we would do with just one more day in Rome.

You might be surprised.  It’s not glamorous.  But it is real, and it’s what we really loved. Continue reading →

Welp, that was embarrassing

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So after the boys were sick for a few days and then we had some work done in the house, I went a little stir crazy being stuck inside and planned a whole bunch of stuff to get out of the house.  Drastic pendulum swing in the other direction.  It’s what I do.

As a part of Operation Get Out of the House, I hit up the National Textile Museum with a friend.  It has interesting displays on batik, weaving, and all sorts of other techniques.  Again, I was blown away by how fascinating this place is because of the influence of so many cultures.  Also, it was free!

We decided to hit the gift shop on the way out.  As one does.  Upon entering, three things were immediately apparent.  (1)  The gift shop housed oodles of gorgeously printed garments.  (2) A cover of Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On was blasting on the radio.  I mean blasting.  I found it to be distractingly loud.  (3) Other than the lady behind the register, we were the only people in the store.

My friend and I perused the wares, running our fingers over the lux fabrics.  I contemplated purchasing a tunic.  I ambled over to my friend and joked, in what I thought was an inside voice and FAR away from the shop employee, that we’d have to head out to escape the Celine Dion cover.  Ha ha.

At that moment, the music stopped.  We heard someone ask, “was I singing too loudly into the microphone?”

I froze.  My heart stopped.  It turns out that the fabric screens behind the register hid someone who had been singing.  Live.  Into a microphone.  (TWIST!)

I immediately felt truly terrible.  My eyes started to tear up.  This was much worse than that time I flashed everyone on the beach because I hated to think that I caused another person pain.  But even though I felt lower than low, I was much too embarrassed to apologize to the person behind the curtain.  I didn’t know what to say.

So even though I felt like a worm, I was definitely like COME ON.  There is someone HIDDEN singing LIVE in the deserted gift shop in the free museum?  REALLY?!  That’s just ludicrous.  What are the odds??

But it was an important reminder to be the person I’d like to be in all aspects of my life.  Err on the side of kindness.  Err on the side of discretion.  Use your inside voice.  Not just because you never know who is listening, but because it is the right thing to do.  ARGH.  I’m learning.  It’s hard.  I will try harder.

Writing this still make my gut clench, but I hope you have a little chuckle at my expense.  It is funny.  I just wish it hadn’t happened to me!

Happy weekend everyone!

Two Month Ta Da list

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So we are closing in on two months in our new home.  We’re starting to feel settled.  It’s a work in progress, but it feels good.  Even if the kids do still ask when we are going back to Rome.

The other day I mentioned Gretchen Rubin’s Ta Da list.  The idea being that instead of focusing on the never ending To Dos, to reflect on everything you have accomplished.  Ta Da!

Especially because I worry we are never doing enough or trying enough, I thought it would be fun to look back on everything we HAVE done.

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Hold the Owl

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Do you ever find yourself holding back a little because of your kids?  Sort of deferring to their enjoyment?

No, you get up there, I don’t need to press my nose to the glass at the aquarium.  No, you go on the ride, I’ll watch you.

Some of these things make sense because I don’t really want to do them.

Other times . . . I don’t know.  Maybe a part of me wants to, but I’ve convinced myself I don’t?  Maybe I just worry what other people will think?

Maybe my default is just not to do the things now.

Hmm.  I don’t love that.

I do get a lot of enjoyment out of seeing my kids do stuff.  Tons.  Seeing them figure it out.  Seeing their little faces light up with joy.  Seeing them experience stuff for the first time.  It’s pretty special.

We were in Malta last week.  This trip we visited the Malta Falconry Centre.  We saw the 11:00 AM show.

As a part of the show, they offered to let us put on the leather glove and hold an owl.  The boys were excited, and I was glad they were able to do it.  I was worried they would be too small.

Then they offered me the glove.

My first thought was to demur.  No, I shouldn’t hold up the show.  No, I already had my fun getting to see the kids.  Nonononono.

Then I looked around and thought, “There are 12 people here.  They are all holding the owl.  You aren’t holding up the show.  Just do it.”

So I put on the glove, and the owl perched on my hand.  And I giggled with joy.  The same sort of giggle that escaped my mouth during the barrel race in Montepulciano.  Just an excitement that things like this exist in the world.

So this is me recommitting myself.   Enjoy the kids, but get in the game.  Heck yes, I want to hold the owl!

(Owl pic on my Instagram.  I’ve tried embedding it here 5x, but I can’t get it to work.)

Lake Garda (Lago di Garda): Where Parents can take a REAL Vacation

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7.26_garda coverYou’ve seen this, right?  Is it a vacation or a trip?  Hilarious.  And true.

For the most part, I take a lot of trips.  I’m OK with that.  I’ve got a lot I’d like to see.  In the little kid years, I figured I’d be looking at trips instead of relaxing vacations anyway.

But what if I told you about a magical place where you could have an actual vacation?  A vacation where you could linger over your breakfast coffee admiring the beautiful view.  A vacation where you kept forgetting what day it is because you felt fully disconnected.  A vacation where you could finish a sentence talking to your spouse over a delicious dinner.

You’d say it was all too good to be true, right?

Well, harried friend, let me tell you about Lake Garda.

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Things to book BEFORE you come to Rome

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7.4_Book BEFORE Rome

Getting ready for Rome?  Fine tuning your itinerary so that it runs smoother than a brand new Ferrari?

Of course you are.  Don’t forget that there are things you can book in advance to make your life even easier.

Keep reading for where to book and how.  Yes, you may spend a few euro in booking fees, but your time in Rome is too precious to spend extra minutes waiting in line if you don’t have to!

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Just a few thoughts on Sicily

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Sorry for the radio silence, folks.  We just got back from a week and a half in Sicily.  I have all sorts of content planned for you, like How to Take the Ferry in Italy, an Itinerary for Adventures in Sicily, and even Media to get you in a Sicilian State of Mind, in the coming weeks.

But for now I just wanted to share some general thoughts and observations.  Overall, this was a pretty fun trip.  I’ve realized I adore island vacations.  A fixed set of points to explore and adventure in?  I am THERE.

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Why I Quit My Job to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom in Italy

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One of the fun things about blogging is that you get to meet cool people, at least virtually anyway.

I don’t remember exactly when I first discovered Hey Eleanor, the brainchild of Molly Mogren Katt, but I immediately crushed pretty hard.  The blog is gorgeous, the writing is awesome, and I adore the idea.  Trying new things is pretty much my definition of adventure, and you know I’m down for that.

Molly has a series on Quitters, and I realized, hey, I have an interesting quitting story.  Check out my interview over on Hey Eleanor here.  I’d love to know what you think!

P.S.  Another fascinating article on quitting: “The ‘quitter’s mindset’ could be the secret to success“

Some thoughts on Prolonged Paleo

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2.23_Prolonged Paleo

Starting to think about turning all my shirts into half shirts.

I may have to donate my body to science because it is going to be AMAZING.

These are just a sample of the actual things I’ve told James lately.  Ridiculous?  Absolutely.  But I’d say paleo is definitely working for me.

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3 Things I Learned on a Recent Weekend Adventure (Free Museum First Sundays For-EVAH)

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We had a delightful Sunday adventure recently.  Like shockingly enjoyable.  With almost little to no planning.  I know.  I’m as incredulous as you.

It all started after waking up Sunday morning following a busy Saturday.  We hadn’t been out of town (or even out ON the town) in a bit.  I knew I wanted to do something.

Then I remembered that it was the first Sunday of the month.  This means free public museums in Rome.

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