Campin' Out

This past weekend was our first family tent camping trip! Both Matt and I grew up camping with our families and have lots of great memories of being out under the stars. With Avery nearly 3 years old, we finally felt she was big enough to camp and enjoy the great outdoors.

There was lots of hanging out around the campsite. 

A mommy/daddy portrait courtesy of Miss A:

No camp trip would be complete without lots of s'more action!

Avery loved rockin' Daddy's headlamp.

We camped in the "mountains" outside of Julian, just about 1.5 hours east of San Diego. There were some great hiking trails that were right off the campsite, but Avery could only hang for a short while. We did manage about a mile long hike by keeping her on the lookout for wildlife and saw wild turkeys, bunnies, lizards, hummingbirds, and lots of butterflies.

Avery got her fair share of dirt play.... and loved every minute of it!

 A little prego humor...

Avery's Antics 2.2

Running up to me with her play phone, "Mommy, I need you help me text somebody!"

After tooting on me on the couch - "Watch out for land mines." (a term she picked up at a friend's BBQ - they have a dog!)

"Avery you've been standing at the screen door for awhile... What are you doing?" I'm counting the people going by.  *pause*  That's one.  *pause*  That's two..."

Referencing the time (especially close to bedtime): "What thirty is it?" or "What clock is it?"

"What does a policeman say?" "He says you have to wear your seatbelt and drive safely. Those are the rules." "Oh, that's some good instructions."

Avery was in the shower with me and I was itching my belly button. "Don't poke the baby!!!"

Lake Days

Thanks to the Frederick's for providing some seriously amazing grub & relaxation time!

Red, White and Boom 2011

Columbus celebrated America's freedom on Friday with Red, White & Boom! 

Beautiful weather and quality fair food... BBQ ribs, I love you.

Live music along the river.

Avery rockin' the glow bracelets, necklace, halo and wand.

Waiting with Oma for the fireworks. It was the first year she stayed up late enough to see them and was very excited at first. Then terrified/screaming when they started. But after watching them safely from inside for awhile (and wearing Opa's noise-cancelling headphones), she did eventually "like" them. 

Roma . Arrivederci

The last couple days in Rome were spent eating great food,

shopping and leisurely strolling the neighborhoods.

I love how the art of craftsmanship still flourishes in the little hole-in-the-wall studios here. This violin maker let me watch him awhile and indulged me in some conversation. After working in a shop as an apprentice, he attended school to perfect his craft, each instrument made entirely by hand. Imagine my embarrassment when I asked how many violins he makes a week, and he looked at me shocked and says, "Ten - a year." Whoa.

I have been supremely blessed to travel here and see so many of Italy's wonders. Unspeakable thanks to Jim, Laura, and Collin for hosting us and babysitting Cheyenne. Two weeks is a LONG time to have people in your home, eating your food, sleeping in your beds and imposing on your schedule. They have been so gracious at every turn.

Thanks also to Stefani for inviting me to join her on this journey, for her friendship and ability to keep her sense of humor when it counted most. 

Arrivederci Roma!

Venice

Two days in Venice was darn near heaven. The only forms of transportation are boats or your feet, so the city is relatively quiet and peaceful. The meandering canals and buildings with colorful shutters and flower boxes are so charming.

Our hotel looked incredibly cute from the outside...

... the inside generated some great belly laughs. We requested separate beds and this is what we got. There were separate sheets, but don't be fooled by the crease - only one duvet.

This is the hairdryer? Seriously?! I was so nervous it would change it's mind and start vacuuming my head instead.

Needless to say, we decided to spend as little time in the hotel as possible. :)

There were some very fascinating bronze door handles.

Dinner on the terrace... fortunately the atmosphere made up for the mediocre (but expensive) food.

Dessert in St. Mark's Square with a live orchestra serenading us. So romantic, I really missed Matt.

At night, the square floods with the tides. This is the buildings reflected in the rising water.

Venice just might be my favorite place in all of Italy!

Roma . Vatican City

Back to Rome, checkin' out St. Peter's square, which is actually more of an oval. 

The Vatican Museum has an unreal amount of art and artifacts to explore. I was a little bummed that the Raphael rooms were closed for the day, but I was NOT disappointed with the awesomeness of the Sistine Chapel.

More guards yelling "NO FOTOS!!!" but I snapped a couple good ones, incognito.

Lots of beautiful things to see inside St. Peter's Basilica. 

Michaelangelo's Pieta - sculpted at age 24 and the only work he ever signed.

Anzio & Nettuno

Monday Stefani and I took the train to the seaport town of Anzio on the Eastern coast of Italy.

Lunch by the water was some fabulous sea bass stuffed ravioli with rose sauce, yum!

In the neighboring town of Nettuno, we visited the American cemetery where over 7,800 servicemen from WWII are buried.

The beach in Nettuno was gorgeous. Perfect sand, clear water, and gelato stands galore... ooooh yea.

Dipping my toes in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The water was nice, but I forgot my suit.  :(

Roma . The Ancients

Back in Rome, I spent Sunday exploring the world of ancient Romans. No trip here would be complete without seeing the Colosseum. Hard to believe this amazing structure was built in only 10 years, using a math system that did not yet include the zero. 

The wooden stage would have covered the underground passageways where gladiators and animals were kept.

Colosseum view towards the Palatine Hill, where the wealthy lived.

Afterwards I walked the grounds of the ruins for nearly 4 hours. There is so much to see and the scenery is breathtaking. A sobering reminder of just how un-permanant we are and how even profound earthly glory fades away.

Trying my hand at being a goddess statue. ;)

Throughout Italy, there are no metal street signs. Every plaza and street is marked by stone plaques on the faces of the buildings that lay along them. This is in front of the church of St. Peter's in Chains, where Michaelangelo's sculpture of Moses resides.