Local farm

A few days ago we met some friends at a small local farm. Very close to the city selling locally produced produce, milk & cheese. The kids had fun watching the cows chow on hay, the ducks quacking, the goats gnawing on fingers stuck through the fence and watching the horses give rides!

It was great to get out and do something different! The kids loved running through the wide open spaces. Even while we were walking to the car Lottie found some muddy puddles and started jumping up & down! Ikey found a hill & started rolling down it! It took us a while to make it to the car, but we did make it.

Oh yeah, btw we now have a car. Bought a used Peugeot while in Sicily this summer. It's a great car!

Art or mess??

I found about 10 photos exactly like this on my phone. I guess Charlotte was inspired by her brother playing and then abandoning toys!

some words on a sicilan summer

Ciao family, friends and fellow bloggers! I wish I had access to more photos that we have taken on our yearly Sicilian summer trip; I sent the previous photo from Gio’s phone as he left for the airport. I only have my film camera and Gio has the rest on his phones; meaning who knows if you will ever see them- sorry, but it could be true! Making plans to come to Sicily was in our minds, but there were plans to travel to the states earlier in the summer and arriving in Sicily just as summer would be drawing to a close; however, our plans quickly changed and before we knew it we bought a flight leaving just a few days later! Giovanni is headed to Korea for work soon and with nothing to do in Milan but sweat, I chose to stay with the kids in Ragusa to hang out with Italian family and play in the Mediterranean. While here we have gotten a lot of Sun time, eaten the BEST fresh ricotta cheese, collected beautiful sea shells, indulged (at times more than once a day) for amazing gelato or granita (a granita is like a slushy, but as in true Italian style like eating/drinking an iced fruit or nut just picked from a tree- pure BLISS, some of our favorites are: toasted almond, pistachio, ricotta, pear and coconut with chocolate pieces) taking walks to admire Ibla (the oldest part of Ragusa)or along the board walk at night with the rest of the beach goers, homemade fresh ravioli thanks to Zia Maria, shopping the sales, playing with cousins and kittens at the farm house, wondering the local markets and celebrating birthdays with Nonni! It is such fun to listen to Charlotte speak Italian that is improving by leaps and bounds converse with everyone here, she pretty much refuses to speak to me in Italian, but that is ok by me. Isaac too, has quite the growing vocabulary! He seems so advanced for being 16 months (today he is 16 months, really already?) but what else would you expect his mother to say. We are truly enjoying our time here. Even if we miss Giovanni.

Sicilian Summer

A few pictures

Just thought I would share a few photos of us from 2012 thus far. I have put blogging LOW on the list of things to do... maybe that will change soon, then again maybe not.

Milan mosaic

Walking around the center today i saw these lovely mosaics hidden in the entry to a very normal looking building tucked between bustling stores- stunning work!

Cool mosaic

I spy with my little eye ONE green thing!

Are you looking to laugh? Would you like to cuddle? Want to play hide and seek? How about reading some books and make pretend food in the kitchen or be a dragon, a prince or even a princess? Oh this little guy can do it all! There is never a dull moment with him and how can you resist an always smiling face... look at that sweet smile! Sure glad we get to keep him! Because we all really are in LOVE!

Mother's Day

The day I became a mother I was extremely excited and awe struck of the responsibility and grateful for the trust bestowed upon me. I remember feeling strongly that I COULD do all that was required to be a Great, Amazing mother to my little one. I was in a partnership, not only with my husband, but with a LOVING Father in Heaven that sent this soul to earth to learn and grow. This same feeling came over me again with the birth of a second child. As a little time has passed there are many days that pass that I FORGET this special feeling I had those first early days of my motherhood. Dishes pile up, toys pile up, laundry piles up, the space is never enough. Little ones are hungry, they play nice, they play too rough, and the STRESS and Frustration starts to pile up too. I feel as if NOTHING is getting accomplished and my day's work is amounting to ZERO. It is usually around this time I am on the floor picking something up and Isaac will come and bear-back hug me- chatting in his little language! Or Lottie bug will ask me to "Please help me mom," I leave EVERYTHING and give a silent THANK YOU and start to kiss those little faces! I smell the sweet scent of their hair and I tell them I LOVE them! Because If I don't who will? These moments I get a small glimpse of those cherished feelings I first felt. I love being a Mother! I am grateful that I can fill this HONORABLE Role and be the BEST I CAN BE! I am even more grateful for the examples of Mothers I have had in my life! My Mother has always been a strong reference point for me. I love her strong Conviction for what she believes in and Passion in what ever she is doing. She is a Loyal friend and Honest. She encourages me to be the best I can be and I love her! My Grandmothers have both been very present in my life and for this I know I have been blessed. Kindness and Forgiveness, always giving LOve, you are never too old to Learn something new and to NEVER GIVE UP! I have been far from home for a few years now and I continue to meet women whose amazing qualities touch my heart and inspire me to be a better being. I love all of you! Happy Mother's Day!

Le Cornelle Zoo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the weekend we rented a car picked up our friend Cary and headed out to the zoo. We were very impressed by the amount and variety of animals they have! From camels and zebras to owls, flamingos, pengiuns and elephants! There were Golden tigers, white tigers and siberian tigers! White lions, bears and rinos! On top of just admiring all the beautiful animals we got to see many of them in action! Lions roaring and marking territory, rino's grunting, penguins swimming, camels fighting and spitting! Monkeys chasing each other and lots of eating going on! It was a the perfect Saturday (and no one got pinched since we all wore green)!

After weeks apart we are all together having fun!!!

There is a carnival at one of the big parks in the city for a few weeks, we took advantage of the sun and enjoyed a few rides!