Apple Picking

My parents took off about an hour ago. Sniff, sniff. Sigh. I'm sad to see them go. It was kind of bizarre to invite them into my Midwestern world. After taking tons of pictures of our adventures I realized that I failed to include them in even a single snapshot. Darn! Anyway, the kids and I took my (step)father to Tanner's Orchard on Monday. My mom had a stomachache, so she stayed behind. The kids had fun racing through the orchards to fill our bag with apples.

My apologies to the orchard if kids aren't allowed to climb trees! It was Max's favorite part of the experience...Of course in hindsight, I thought, "Gosh, Max was the only kid climbing trees at that place. Maybe it's prohibited." I'm not always the most thoughtful, what can I say? I enjoyed watching the kids roam around farmland, breathe fresh air and sample the caramel corn and apple cider.

The highlight of Delaney's day was catching a caterpillar she named Tiger. He's a darling furry creature who resembles fuzzy wire. As I type this I'm watching him crawl around a glass vase we cleaned out for him. The kids made me promise to give him fresh grass when they're away from our house. It's their pet. Isn't that pathetic? I'd like to get them a dog or something to really love on!

To cap off our day, we went swimming in an outdoor pool--in 60 degree weather and whipping winds. Delaney insisted we take advantage of my parents' hotel accommodations. Not the brightest idea! Of course, I jumped in the pool with the kids because they pleaded with me to play with them. Again, not the brightest idea. Oh, well. We made some sweet memories together.

Lazy Sunday

I'm trying to enjoy my lazy Sunday morning but I've got pangs of guilt. I skipped church. As a matter of fact, my entire family did. It took a ton of arm twisting of my husband to agree to this. But I plead my case: (a) I've got a migraine. (b) My week's been crazy busier than usual and I need a break. (c) My parents are coming into town today.
Now just to be clear, I'm not an advocate of making church-skipping a habit. As a family we benefit tremendously from fellowshipping with other Christ-followers, worshiping the Lord in a corporate setting, and hearing the Lord speak through our pastor. And it's especially important for the kids to learn about the Lord in their Sunday school classes.
Jeff was kind of disappointed when the kids let out a resounding, "YAAAAAYYYY!!!" when I said we wouldn't be going to church today. But I don't think that means they don't enjoy church. I just think that--like me--they enjoy a change of pace and one day of unstructured time together as a family...with no expectations and no rushing around and getting dressed by a certain time to be somewhere.
This is the first time we've missed a church service as a family. And probably our last. So why do I feel so guilty? We engaged our Bible study small group on Friday night and served with other small group members on Saturday...But Jeff feels especially bad for missing Sunday service.
Oh, well...we'll still make time to honor the Lord in what we say and do today...I've got 91.5 WCIC's "Call to Worship" blaring in the background as the kids are engrossed in making a "Welcome Back" banner for my parents. Oh, and did I mention I'm pulling the children out of school tomorrow to pick apples with my parents? :)

Dominion

Every night is game night in my house. So for our anniversary I purchased a card game for Jeff called "Dominion" and WE LOVE IT!!! I especially enjoy it because I beat Jeff four times in a row! Tonight we taught the kids how to play and we're now addicted as a family. It's a great game for just two adult players or a family of four. So...I'm just dashing a quick note to enthusiastically recommend a fun, family-friendly game you should try!

Pumpkins galore

Pumpkin season's in full swing. Max was given the school assignment of decorating a pumpkin...Of course I thought, "Let's make it a Hawaiian pumpkin!" Palm trees for eyes...flowers for hair...a lei for a smile. I MISS HAWAII!!! I get terribly homesick this time of year. I can't wait to go back home. I'm excited that my parents are coming in from Hawaii next week for a few days. Now I've gotta think of how to entertain them. Maybe pumpkin picking at an orchard?

Speaking of pumpkins, I actually had fun walking in the Morton Pumpkin Festival. I was dreading it because I fear public speaking and the thought of waving to thousands of strangers as I passed by with the 91.5 WCIC station van made me break out in a sweat. But my mother-in-law and cousin-in-law (pictured w/me) graciously agreed to walk by my side for moral support. Thanks, ladies! It was also nice to see our wonderful listeners enjoying the festivities and cheering on their support. You guys are the best!

Pain in the Back

I got a frantic phone call from my husband yesterday afternoon (just as I was ready to slip into bed for a cat nap). He asked me to send over pain-killers for a bad back pain. I guess he felt the pain shoot into his lower back at noon and it's been pulsating ever since. He called in sick for the first time today. Jeff won't see a doctor...but does insist on cookies and milk in his bed-ridden state. Some things never change no matter the pain! But seriously, I'm concerned that it could be an ailment that deserves medical attention. If you have any ideas for treating back pain let me know!

730 days and counting...

Today Jeff & I are celebrating our two year anniversary! My deliciously adorable husband surprised me in the 91.5 WCIC studio this morning with flowers and breakfast!
I like to count our marital investment by days (730) instead of years (2) because it seems much weightier. Two years is a toddler. It's an associate degree. It implies something in the beginning stages. But I feel like our marriage has been seasoned by depth from the moment we said "I Do."
As a blended family, the adjustments were instant and huge. We fought. We laughed. We cried. But most importantly, we loved each other and the Lord so hugely, that we stuck together and got stronger...and better for being together.
Jeff has enriched my life infinitely with his companionship, humor, and faith. And it's the greatest honor and blessing of my life to be his wife.
Happy Anniversary, Baby!

Pet Caterpillar

Jeff would sooner fly to the moon than get the kids a pet dog. So in desperation to have some sort of pet in our home, Max and Delaney trapped a caterpillar in a jar and now spend lots of their spare time feeding and caring for this creature.
His name is Luna.
The problem is, we don't know what on earth to feed Luna. Leaves? Grass? Lettuce? We don't want our little pet to die before he turns into a butterfly!

Back in the saddle again...

Reality bites. I returned from Italy with a stack of bills piled higher than a tall stack of pancakes. What I miss most, though, is having my husband all to myself. I thought we'd drive each other nuts but actually without the pressures of every day life, we got along better than we ever had! Ok, minus one hissy fit from me! Give me a break--it was a hundred degrees and I didn't have air conditioning! Our trip re-energized our marriage in a way I was not anticipating.

We're celebrating our two-year anniversary a week from today. Last night I was lying on the couch, make-up-less and whining about being overly exhausted...My sweet husband came over to hug me and said, "You're the best thing that ever happened to me. I love you so much. Thank you for everything that you do for our family." Isn't that precious? I just love my husband and am excited to celebrate another milestone in our marriage.

Ciao from Venice!

Some people love lighthouses...others love monuments...but I love bridges. So I've fallen in love with Venice where delicate and small Renaissance bridges interweave throughout the city. It's pure magic, like stepping into a postcard. I was afraid the City of Love wouldn't live up to the hype but it actually surpasses it. The bridges crossing the Grand Canal are so spectacular, it's impossible to take a bad picture. The photo I posted isn't the best but I'm in a rush with very spotty Internet connection so I chose the first picture that popped up! We also toured Murano Island yesterday, renown for its gorgeous glass...Jeff and I watched a glass master make a stallion. It was perfecto!
It's our final day in Italy (sniff, sniff). We enjoyed a wonderful adventure...I'm not ready to go home but Jeff sure is! I laughed hysterically last night when Jeff announced, "I'm ready to get back to my 9 to 5 job. My every day life is more relaxing than this vacation!" It's true...we've trekked miles a day on foot and it's exhausting to interpret another language and culture. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. It was the greatest adventure of our lives so far.
I'll c-ya soon back in the states! We (sadly) leave before the sun rises tomorrow morning.

Italian Riviera

We explored a piece of Paradise yesterday: the Cinque Terre. It was pure heaven...a rugged portion of the Italian Riviera. It's comprised of five villages with vibrantly colorful buildings. Part of its charm is that you won't find modern conveniences out there...cars are not allowed. You need to take a train to La Spezia and then transfer on other trains to explore the villages. It's a wildly charming magnet for hikers to trek from village to village.

It's unbelievable that one place can contain such lush beauty, great cuisine and fragrant aromas. Frankly, my lungs were tired from inhaling all the pollutants of the cities of Rome and Florence. When we arrived in Cinque Terre, I deeply inhaled the sea salt spray of the ocean and the faint aroma of coconuts in the air. Magnifique!

Jeff had to pull me back onto the train to leave because I didn't want to go! Before we departed, we walked the "Via Dell'Amore" or "Lovers Walk" which gives you the most breathtaking, panoramic view of the coast. Miles and miles of ocean are outstretched before you to see the varying hues of blue. It was gorgeous. I cried a little when we left...we took a late night train to Venice, which we'll be exploring today. I'm excited to see this new place but I miss Florence and the Cinque Terre. It made me homesick for Hawaii...

Handbag Heaven

Anyone who knows me understands that my heart skips a beat when I see a good handbag. Florence is the mecca of leather and you can find beautifully crafted, genuine leather items for a price that you can't beat in the states. Hustlers sell hundreds of handbags, belts, wallets--you name it--everywhere you turn on the streets...My husband says I can pick just one, so my indecisiveness is driving him crazy! Hmmmm...Jeff is napping now as I type this, so maybe I'll sneak out and get a purse!

I just had to snap a photo of the best pasta I've ever eaten. It's called "black truffle fettucine" and it's amazingly decadent. Apparently, Florentines like to dress up their pasta with black truffle oil--I wanted to purchase a bottle to bring back to the states but it's about $30 dollars for just a few ounces, so I decided against it!

Jeff and I eat a very light lunch so that we can splurge a little at dinner. With all the gelato and pasta we're consuming you'd think that we'd gain weight on this vacation but I think I'm actually losing weight. My pants are loose. I wish I tracked our walking with a pedometer. I'll bet I walked more in the past week than I've walked all year! This is my favorite picture of Jeff, lying splat on the ground in Siena Square. It's been a tiring but wonderful time...We want to hop on a runaway train and not return to the states for another year!

Under the Tuscan Sun

Have you ever had one of those days when you're just so grateful to be alive? I enjoyed one of those days yesterday. My senses were thrilled by the lush, rolling hills of Tuscany. It's an ever-changing scenery of vineyards and olive trees in every shade of green you can imagine. Our bus also took us to the city center of Siena and to the beautiful town of San Gimignano. It was by far my favorite day of the trip so far. Had I known how gorgeous Tuscany would be, I would've skipped Rome & Florence and rented a villa in Tuscany. Next to my hometown of Hawaii, I think it's the prettiest place on earth.
I feel a pang of guilt for enjoying an overseas vacation while our economy is in a recession...so I feel compelled to explain why we're taking this trip: My grandmother blessed us by financing this dream of mine. Jeff & I never had a wedding or a honeymoon...and since we're financially supporting his two children, we live very frugally in a tiny home in a low-income neighborhood and drive ancient cars that are falling apart! I've always longed to experience Europe with someone I loved...and I regret not making travel a priority when my life was simpler.
So I seized the chance to take Jeff to Italy...It's been great for our marriage to fall in love all over again in such a romantic city and pretend to be bona-fide newlyweds...and to create memories that'll last a lifetime. Jeff has never traveled overseas before so it's especially adventurous and eye-opening for him to engage another world-view. Since I'm a bi-racial blend myself, I find this terribly important.
My internet connection is spotty in Florence so my posts will be less frequent. Hope you're enjoying yourself wherever you are!