We’re Back from Italy!

Sadly.

We’ve been home for a couple of days, and it looks like we beat jet lag this time (woo!).  This helped us to be super productive as we got back in to the swing of things.  Our first full day we did all the laundry, unpacked, went grocery shopping, gave the dogs a bath, ran a few errands, and even managed to catch up on all of our missed TV shows 🙂  It’s nice to be surrounded again by the comforts of home, but I still find myself thinking of the amazing trip we just took…

As we traveled, Scott took note of a few moments that happened–small things that we may not remember in years (or even months) but still felt really funny/special at the time. I wanted to record some of my own as well:

• Translating for a taxi cab driver in Siena, and successfully setting up a future pick-up for some English-only travelers 🙂
• The third pasta dish on our Italian Days food tour… And having three full portions of it.  THEN HAVING MORE COURSES.
  

  You guys. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

• That time that literally NO ONE CARED that we didn’t have actual tickets for ANY of our train rides.  (We had reservations, just no hard tickets).
• Making everyone around us laugh as we held up a stuffed pear to cover the David’s private parts.And having the best picture EVER to show for it.

#fernandothepear

• The Bologna Ride gelato.  Scott’s “one-that-got-away” orange gelato.  Amarena gelato.  Gelato every day. Sometimes twice.

• Being overwhelmed with happiness when we rounded the corner of Ugo Bassi and saw the two towers of Bologna.  Even if the street was under massive construction.  Even if it was raining.

• Having the coolest looking room key to our super Italian place in Florence.

• Getting a free pizza with our Prosecco (for real) when we were already so stuffed with pasta.

We still ate most of it because… free pizza.

• The time that Manarola refused to let us leave. LONGEST TRAIN WAIT EVERRRRR.

• Scott ordering all our breakfasts in Italian 🙂  Due Brioche-cioccolata e marmelata!  (Every.single.morning).

• Birra Cerqua being SO CONFUSED when Scott called Loverbeer “Beer Lover”.  🙂 🙂
• The time I accidentally grabbed & drank out of the carafe in Monterosso.  Which would’ve been fine if I had owned it, but instead I spit it out in shame, on the table…. whoops!

I quickly cleaned up much of the evidence.

• Listening to Rick Steves as we cruised down the Grand Canal at night. ❤
• The worst risotto EVER on the streets of Florence.  Then the world’s largest Florentine steak in Siena.

• “Sono Gufus.”  “Ciao Bella!”
• Scott spilling red wine all over his shorts at the Parmesan factory 🙂

Luckily it was easily wiped up!

• Scott breaking off the key to the front door in Bologna with his brute strength.
• That one time I got scolded by an Italian woman at the Vodaphone store.  And the other time that Scott got scolded by an Italian old man for not wearing a coat 🙂

Her instructions were pretttttty clear…

• Learning that apparently, I don’t share ketchup very well with others…
• Getting the WORLD’S LARGEST APPERTIVO BUFFET at Cafe Zamboni.  Seriously, it was amazing.

We got a glass of champagne and all you can eat deliciousness for 8 euro. LONG LIVE APPERTIVO!

And so, so, SO MANY MORE that I couldn’t possibly write all of it down.  This was one of the best adventures we’ve taken yet, and while I’m sad that it’s gone, I’m happy that we’ll have these memories to hold on to forever.  Ciao Ciao Italia–we’ll most certainly be back!

Italy Planning!

As I shared before, we’re taking a trip to Italy this spring and as the date gets closer, I get more and more excited to go back!  While technically I’ve been to many of these sights, I am so eager to return–this time with Scott!

It’s funny-this trip is so different from Thailand.  It felt like the weeks/months leading up to Thailand were SO LONG, but Italy has snuck up on us quickly!  We had so much stuff to buy/gather for Thailand (cameras & accessories, travel gear, etc.); this round it seems like we’ve already got everything we need.  Thailand felt a little stressful because of the language barrier; I can speak enough Italian to get us by, so the whole thing feels much more laid back.  Don’t get me wrong, Thailand was the trip of a lifetime, but our trip to Italy is definitely going to be one for the books 🙂

In order to lean-in to the anticipation, I thought I’d share some of the fun we’ve got planned:

Stop # 1: Cinque Terre

While not QUITE as nice, our balcony will have a similar view!!

We’ll kick off our trip with an evening in Cinque Terre.  We’re staying in Vernazza, and since we won’t get in until late afternoon, we’ll probably just kick-back and enjoy some wine in a cute trattoria or our BALCONY 🙂  The next day we plan to hike through all five towns, stopping along the way for food, drink, gelato, and some sight seeing.  After a good night’s sleep we’ll have breakfast, explore some more, and hop on a train!

Stop # 2: Firenze

View from Piazale Michelangelo at Sunset

We don’t plan to spend much time in Florence, but we’ll certainly make the most of the time we’ve got!  The goal: see the main sights: the Duomo & Baptistery, the David & the Uffizi, Ponte Vechio and Piazale Michelangelo at sunset.  We also want to visit Scuola del Cuoio–a local leather school and shop–to buy some expertly-crafted leather goods.  We’ll arrive early afternoon and will stay the night; after a quick breakfast we’ll be on our way to the next stop…

Stop # 3: Venezia

St. Mark’s at night, after most people have gone to bed

This is quite possibly my favorite city in the entire world, even if it IS full of tourists during the day.  We’ll spend 2.5 days here, and while we’ll obviously see the big stuff (St. Mark’s, The Bell Tower, Doge Palace, & the Murano/Burano thing), we also want to hold a lot of time to just wander around and get lost.  We plan to do the bulk of our souvenir shopping here (hand blown glass, some artisan lace, and a Venetian mask to replace the one I left behind 9 years ago!!).  After we’re thoroughly exhausted from all of the walking, we’ll head to a sleepier city to relax.

Stop # 4: Siena

Overhead shot of my favorite wine-ing spot 😉

We’re going to spend less than 24 hours in Siena, but since it’s my SECOND favorite city in the world, it was kind of a must.  we’ll arrive early afternoon, and with the exception of seeing the main church & piazza, the only goal here is to chill.  Siena has some adorable shops, fun little streets to wander, and an amazing piazza to just sit out and people watch.  I vividly remember getting a bottle of wine with friends and just drinking the night away outside.  I hope to recreate this with Scott!  We’ll stay the night, then catch a train to the main attraction the following morning.

Stop # 5: Bologna

The Due Torri-where we hope to recreate a painting Scott had made for me! 🙂

This is the city that inspired the entire trip, which is odd, since Bologna isn’t typically thought of as a “Must-see” part of Italy.  Still, it’s where I studied abroad in college, and I can’t believe I am going back!  We’ll have almost 4 full days here, and since the sights only take about one, we’re going to have so much time to just wander and explore at a snail’s pace.  we’ve booked a “food” tour (the only tour of our entire trip) which will involve a day trip to Parma & Modena, but beyond that, our time is going to be completely unstructured.  I’ll take Scott to some of my fave places, and we’ll just snack and drink our days away!  I can’t wait to revisit the beautiful churches & pieces of art, to walk under the porticos, and to sit in Piazza Maggiore drinking cafe.

Then, we head home–with bellies full of wine & pasta, a bag full of keepsakes, a camera full of pictures, and hearts filled with happiness.  I’m so, so excited!

Catching up!

It’s been over a month since my last post–mostly because the last month has been…. crazy.  I’m not 100% ready to share the source of all the ridiculousness, but it’ll be coming soon 🙂  For now, I figured I could just share what we’ve been up to!

We finally got a KING SIZE BED: And it’s glorious.  I truly love everything about it, including the fact that our entire family of four can snug at the SAME TIME without feeling squished 🙂

#boss

Getting it up the stairs was a…challenge…

LOVE!

Grace came to visit!  My colleague (and really, the one responsible for me making my way to the Design team) came out to visit Boulder for a grad school tour/weekend.  Afterwards, she stayed with us for an evening.  Sadly it was blizzard-ing, but we still had a wonderful 24 hours filled with brunch, voodoo donuts, champagne bar, the blue bear, and an evening of wine on the couch & catching up!

Leila bein’ a ham.

Because friends take friends to the champagne bar.

Game Night Shenanigans: We FINALLY got to host game night.  It’s probably better that I don’t go into more detail than that 🙂

This is truly all we can show. (and no, Lauren’s not sleeping– she’s cringing.)

Jillian and Travis came to visit!: A former colleague and TFA-er (and current friend) also came out to Boulder for a conference, so she brought her hubby and came out early for some Denver exploration!  We had a blast eating and drinking our way through the city, stopping by Red Rocks to take in the view, and catching up on all things married life 🙂

The Farlands!

San Fran trip to see friends!  I had a work trip in the Bay so Scott and I headed out a few days early to spend some time with our far-away friends.  We had an amazing time reconnecting (and drinking and eating and walking up really steep hills) with Dennis and Melissa, and we got to eat & spend an afternoon with DJ and Julie–and FINALLY got to meet baby Willow!  It was just the kind of trip that left you feeling so happy and so grateful for the people in your life, even if they are a thousand miles away.

Because when it’s hot, you cool down with beer.

Why yes, we do drink champagne out of mason jars.

Our selfies are kind of a big deal.

Late night Thai food with the Benfords!

This adorable little family 🙂

Work Trip in the Bay:  After the weekend fun, I BART-ed it over to Berkeley for a week-long “journey” learning about the support and services for diverse learners (or, people with disabilities).  It was very challenging but so rewarding, and I met a group of passionate, hard-working, and brilliant individuals that I now get to call friends 🙂 

Brian and Jess get married! We were so excited to celebrate the nuptials of these two crazy kids, and the wedding did NOT disappoint!  The ceremony was beautiful, the reception was a blast, and the bride and groom looked so happy 🙂  We felt so honored to be there–congrats to the new Mr. and Mrs.!!

Oh heeeyyyyy Mr. and Mrs.!

Seriously.  Who invites us to these things?!

Of course, this is just the fun stuff. There’s also been a lot of stress in my professional life over the past month–probably more than I’ve ever experienced in such a short window–but that story has a happy ending at least.  More to come later!

San Francisco is Booked!

One of my 2015 goals was to prioritize seeing friends–especially those that live in faraway places.  I’m pretty much continually scheming up ways for Phoenix bestie Jen and I to be in the same city (rest assured that these plans are WELL underway), and we really wanted a way to see two other great friends–Dennis and Melissa–as well.  We recently found out that those two are moving to the Bay Area, like… right now–the whole thing happened very quickly and we couldn’t be happier!  Not only is San Fran much closer/more convenient to fly to than Baltimore, we have a special spot in our hearts for that city.  Knowing all of this, we figured it was only a matter of time before we hop a flight out West to see them.

Well, that time came significantly sooner than we planned.  Turns out I have a work trip scheduled there in the near future, and once Scott found out, he was on Expedia.com with no time to spare! 🙂  I cannot WAIT to catch up with these two (it’s been like, a year and a half since we’ve seen them!) and to hang out together in a new city.

Aren’t they cute?! Don’t YOU want to see them immediately?!

Clearly we know how to have a good time… And take a good picture 😉

In addition to Dennis & Melissa, we’ve got two other friends–Julie & DJ and their baby girl Willow to see as well!  Scott grew up with DJ and they’ve kept in touch–we always take time to catch up with these two and even stayed at their place while they were out of town last trip.  We haven’t had a chance to meet their baby girl quite yet, and though they’ve since moved just outside the city, we’re DEFINITELY going to prioritize a meal/morning/afternoon with them!

Scott & DJ at a wedding last spring (not their own) 😉

Beyond that, I’m just excited to go back!  It’s funny–with few exceptions, I generally don’t re-visit cities I’ve already traveled to–there’s such a big world/country out there, and if I can only take so many trips, I’d rather see as much of it as possible!   But San Francisco is different–we’ve gone several times and each trip we see or experience something new.  And now we’re at the stage where we’ve gotten past (most of) the touristy things and just spend our time being in the city.  We now take buses instead of taxis, visit neighborhood spots instead of tour book/trendy restaurants, and in general move at a slower pace.  Last trip: we spent a morning riding bikes through/hanging out in Golden Gate Park, then enjoyed the beach nearby.  The next day we walked around the Embarcadero with friends, drank wine all afternoon, ordered take out for dinner, and watched fireworks from their place.

I mean… this happened in San Francisco! So yeah, it’s kind of a special spot 🙂

I’m so excited to go back and experience San Francisco all over again, this time with new people–which will inevitably bring out a whole different side of the city we’ve never quite experienced before.  CAN’T WAIT!!!

2015 Goals

I really love making new years goals!  I’m not entirely sure what the difference is between “goals” and “resolutions” but goals seem more attainable 🙂  Even if I don’t reach them, give up on them in two weeks, etc., it’s still fun to take some time to reflect on the areas I want to focus on and grow in the upcoming year.

Yesterday was full of friends and quality time with my hubby (the electricity went out for a few hours so we passed the time with mimosas, board games, and a fire to keep us warm), and since Scott’s away at work today, it seems like as good a time as any to think about what I want to be true in 2015.

I want to go back to Italy.  it’s crazy to think that it has been 9 YEARS since I left Italy.  Studying abroad there was a life changing experience for so many reasons, and after some prodding from Scott, it’s time to go back!  We’ve decided this will be our next big international trip, and we’re shooting for late spring/early summer.  I want to go back to (almost) all of my favorite places, and even explore a few new ones.  But beyond that, I want to brush up on my Italian again (I was never fluent but could certainly hold my own).  It would break my heart to feel like a tourist in Bologna, and speaking Italian would go a long way towards making me feel like I was “back”!

What this tangibly means: take an “Italian for Travelers” class at the Italian institute, then plan, purchase, and enjoy our trip in the spring!

The Bologna crew. Gosh I miss those porticos!!

I want to continue renovating our house.  It hasn’t even been a year of living here and already we’ve made some incredible progress!  We’ve got no plans to slow down in 2015–in fact, we hope to be as ambitious as ever!  Most of this projects focus on functionality and comfort, but of course there are a few “decor” updates in the mix 🙂  Nothing feels as urgent as the big projects we tackled last year, but we’re excited to kick off some “phase 2” projects while finishing up the smaller updates we’ve already got in the works.

What this tangibly means: Complete the big projects (laundry room and guest bathroom renovations, installing heat in the man cave/sun room); tackle a few wood-working projects (built-ins and console tables); finish all paint-based projects (upstairs doors and trim-I’m coming for ya!)

So… remember when my kitchen used to look like this?

Progress!

I want to get healthy.  Now I know I make some kind of goal like this every year.  And while I always seem to fall short, I’ve learned a lot of valuable lessons about what works for me each year.  This year I want to focus on healthy habits rather than simply diet and exercise.  It’s important to me to be HEALTHY-not skinny–and in order for that to be true, it’s got to be a balance.  I will never give up beer or champagne or french fries, but i can figure out how to enjoy them in moderation.  I will never consistently count calories, but I can learn how to make my calories count.  I will never be a marathoner or body builder, but i can focus on making my body as strong as possible.  I’m eager to see what lessons 2015 brings in this area.

What this tangibly means: Lose some lbs (there is a specific number but that’s my little secret); train to run a half marathon (finally!); develop healthier eating habits (like consistent meal planning, potion control, and learning how to indulge/treat myself in moderation).

I see MANY more hikes with this fella in my future

I want to focus on my friends.  Yesterday morning we had a full house of friends, kicking off the new year with good food and good company.  It was one of the happiest days in recent history and made me realize how hard I worked in 2014 to build that circle of friends.  I don’t mean the friendships were hard-the best ones come easy and feel like you’ve been friends for decades-I mean the focus and attention we placed on them.  I was intentional in making plans, checking in, following up/through and being thoughtful in how I spent my time with others this year.  The result was an amazing year with strengthened bonds–I’m in such a different place than I was in January 2014!  Even though I’m pretty satisfied here, I know this was no accident–it was the result of my intentional focus on friendship.  And so my goal is to continue this into the new year!

What this tangibly means: Make a goal to see Jen at least twice this year; have at least one lunch date with Abby and a night on the town with Ryan each month; plan out our winter cabin weekend with the crew (yeah Steamboat!) and start up game nights again; watch my favorite Bachelor in YEARS with the girls night group; plan one weekend trip to visit friends who live elsewhere (Phoenix? Baltimore? Anchorage? Tri-Cities? Atlanta? Madison? Virginia? NYC? We’ve got a lot of options…!)

Travelling to see friends is THE BEST! (Esp. when you match outfits)

But it’s just as fun when they travel to see you!

2015.  Let’s do this thing.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!