Home is Wherever I'm with You

 The boys had a week off for half term, so we decided to jump on the bandwagon and take a ski trip like everyone else.  People call it "settimana bianca" or white week.  Lucky for us we have friends that know all the right tips and tricks and we found a great place in the Dolomites, only three hours away.  We went to Moena, Italy, a cute little town that reminds me of all the ski towns in Colorado!  The drive was peaceful and beautiful, we saw castles and beautiful cities on the sides of mountains. Not like the flat lands we're used to.  The kids did great in the car and we arrived Sunday afternoon, with plenty of time to jump in the pool and catch up with our friends.  We signed the boys up for snowboarding lessons during the week.  They learned so much so fast in just two hours a day, going from never snowboarding before to riding down the mountain by day 2! They both had the best time and we're so happy every day to try out something ...

Christmas time in Italy is beautiful. The streets are filled with lights.  Store fronts are decorated, the porticos are lit, and huge trees fill the city centers.   One of my favorite things in Europe is all the wonderful Christmas markets.  We have been to several in Germany and the Netherlands, but we're excited to check them out in Italy as well.   The sweet treats, fun gifts, and mulled wine are wonderful and did not disappoint.  This year we went to a few markets in Bologna and also one in Ferrara.  The kids had a great time and we found lots of yummy treats along the way!   The school was also very festive and not shy about celebrating Christmas.  Santa even made a surprise visit to the school.  We wrote Santa a letter and asked if he would stop by a little early this year so we could fly back home for the holidays.  He generously obliged and we enjoyed Christmas together in Italy on a warm 50 degree day.  ...