Scorpions and Fire Trucks...

That is what Ethan's week has entailed - so far. He sent me an email and said that while he was out in the yineyard exploring with my dad and my uncle, they came upon rock scorpions basking in the sun! Yikes. I mean I know in Tuscany there are scorpions, but I did not figure in Campobasso. It is not very tropical in that region... But Ethan advised that they were killed immediately thanks to my dad and uncle. I am sure, though, not before Ethan could get a good look at them! Crazy kid.

My uncle used to be the Fire Chief. He retired a few years back. But he still pulls clout. So he brought Ethan to the fire house and took him for a ride on the big truck, and let him go up the bucket and climb the ladder, etc. etc. Lucky kid. Ethan said he had a blast. What 9 year old boy wouldn't??

And now Ethan and my parents are off to Rome for a few days to explore. I am really excited to hear about this - especially from Ethan's perspective. I am a history major - and to be exact, Ancient Greece and Rome to the First Millennium. This is soooo up my alley!! I am freak for Roman history. So I am just beside myself with joy that Ethan gets to explore these ruins and see the history for himself. I can't wait to hear about it.

I am off to work. Have a good day all.

Ciao.

Another weekend gone

I swear it was just Friday night!! Now it is Sunday night an another weekend is gone. But I can't say I am too upset. Ethan comes home next week and I can't wait to see him!! I am sure he has grown probably 5 inches since he left! I miss him. Life needs to get back to normal.

So this weekend has been a clean up around here. I dug out all the summer plants and put the pots away. I rearranged the urns on the porch and now I am ready to buy big potted mums. I am in search of the deep red ones. Love them. I need three large pots for the urns and the wrought iron table I have on the porch.

It was also a time to reorganize inside as well. I am in need of a multi functional storage piece. This is what we bought. Love it. It has six shelves inside. Great for dishes and linens. And the top is perfect for displaying a few things. I am pleased. I haven't bought furniture for the house in over a year. It was a thrill! But I must say that we are at that stage where we don't need anything else. Well, I would like a tall chest of drawers for my walk in closet, but I have been on the search for that for over a year and so far no luck. Other than that, we are good. And none of my furniture needs to be replaced. I buy really good pieces and I buy classic pieces. I can change my accents and get a whole new look and not feel guilty about money spent/wasted. It is a good thing. So happy Sunday night to y'all. I am off to watch vintage X-Files episodes. I bought the first three seasons on DVD. Love love love this show! And of course it was all filmed in Vancouver, so it is a total gas to watch the scenes and name all the places. Did I ever tell y'all the story about my X-Files encounter? This is a good one. So my first law firm was in a really seedy part of downtown Vancouver. We were on Davie Street and Hornby Street. My firm was in the basement of the building and it was just faster to access it by the back alley. (Really - looking back - how STUPID was I to walk these alleys alone??!!!) One morning I came around the corner and started down the alley. I had almost come to our door when I saw something in the dumpster. I stopped to take a look and it was a human arm hanging out of the dumpster. I freaked! I started screaming and went running inside and told the partners to call 911 because there was a body in the dumpster. So we called 911 and the police came and the fire department came and the ambulance came. We all went out there to figure out what was going on, and when they pulled the "body" out of the dumpster, it was just a dummy. The X-Files had been shooting in the nightclub across the alley from the firm the night before and had forgotten their prop in the dumpster... Ya. I felt like a moron. Oh well. It was good for a laugh later on. hee hee

Ciao all.

Ethan's Adventures, cont.

He phoned me this morning. I was sooo happy to hear his little voice!! He has had quite the adventures this past week. Some of the highlights:

1. He climbed to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Oh ya. SUPER cool!! My mom said that after he came down, Ethan turned to the guard on duty and said, "Well, the Tower can fall now. I have seen it!". To which the guard replied, "I hope not!". Only my kid... Too funny.

2. He explored the Grotto of Frasassi. Some of the oldest stalagmites and stalactites in the world. Amazing.

3. He is on some personal mission to try every flavour of gelato in Italy, and he has nearly done so! My mom said that Ethan has a gelato every day! And he has somehow charmed his way into the hearts of all of my family members, so they gladly buy this kid gelato whenever he wants! I asked Ethan on the phone if all his pants still fit him. I could hear him asking my mom, "Nonna, mama wants to know if I am getting chubby?!". Hee hee heee He really could stand to gain a few pounds. But I digress.

I am really thrilled that he is having such wonderful experiences. And I am really proud of him that he has behaved like a little man while he is away. My family are in love with him. He is great kid. But you always hope and pray that outside the home he is as great as he is inside the home. I won't tolerate anything less in our home. My mom said that my cousin and my aunt in Imola wanted to keep Ethan with them forever. Stef, my cousin, said to my mom that she was going to make a baby and then send the baby to me and Marc to raise, and we could send the baby back when he/she reached age 9/10. That is the highest compliment I have ever received. And it means the world to me. Marc and I work hard raising our children. We spend quality time with them. And we are tough. But we love them. And they know it. And we expect a lot from them. And they know it. It is good.

Bella and I are going to have some ice cream. Gelato it is not. But it does come from Marble Slab Creamery - fresh made every day. It is second best and will have to do - for now. hee hee

Ciao all.

Out of the swing of things...

Boy, it has been ages since I have scrapped anything. I have to say, I am really out of the swing of things. Totally not inspired at all. I started this layout with something else in mind, and ended up with this. Hmmm. Not sure about it. Oh well. I don't believe in re-doing a layout. It is what it is. That is as "free" as I get!! Time to start surfing sites again and take a stroll through the LSS. I also think my printer is dying a slow death. The picture is not clear... I have had this printer for close to 5 years... Sigh. I never get pics developed. I always download them and print them off. I guess that will be coming to an end as I can't justify buying a brand new printer just to prints a few pics here and there. I really don't print that many.

Tomorrow I have my first parent/teacher interview with Bella's K teacher. I don't need to meet with Ethan's teacher as he attended a whole 4 days of class before he left for Italy. But I am interested in hearing what Bella's teacher has to say. She's a good kid. And she is a smart kid. But she can also be a shy kid and one who is easily led by others. So I am really curious to see if she is being a leader or being led.

Laundry calls. Ciao all.

It is no secret...

That I am a total shoe horse... I don't hide it. I can't. I can't go to a mall without visiting the shoe stores. And I don't buy cheap shoes. No. You get what you pay for. And you will pay for what you get. Cheap shoes WILL damage your feet. I spend a lot of time on my feet. Funny enough. When I go to work, I just don't plunk myself down at my desk and then sit there for 6 hours straight. No. I am up and down dozens of times a day. Good shoes make all the difference. But I am not one to sacrifice style.

I needed a little retail therapy on Friday. I am missing Ethan something bad, and I need to get out. I packed up Bella and off we went to the shoe boutique. I came home with these crocodile boots. They are perfection. Black. Textured. Shiny. Perfection. And in the process of sharing my love for shoes, I have created yet another shoe horse in the house. Yes, Bella. I had to buy boots for her also. But not crocodile! She got suede boots with little black bow ties on them. Super sweet. She wore them around the house yesterday. And she was really quick to pull them out for her dad and show them off! I am not sure Marc is too happy with this turn of events, but such is life. That's why he makes the big bucks!! hee hee

So then why the second pair of shoes shown below?? Because these will be my next purchase next month. Love the buckles. I am always on the look out for classic shape/style/colour with just a hint of whimsy. Bingo. These are by Nine West. Totally reasonable. Shoes make me happy. I have nothing else to say. Ciao all.

A whole new world

Is being opened up to my Ethan. He phoned me this morning from Imola. He was totally excited to tell me that he had gone to the San Marino Grand Prix yesterday to watch the Formula 1 racing. And he took a photo of the car shown above. If y'all don't know what kind of car that is, it is a Maserati. More specifically, the Gran Turismo 2008 - worth about $120,000.00. Yes. The zeros are correct. For the price of a home you can buy this automobile. And they are not that rare in Italy. Ethan said he saw a lot of cool cars at the race and suddenly my little boy did not sound so little anymore... A whole new world has been opened up to him. I fear he will not want to come home when it is time. I fear more that my family will keep him in Italy. He's a great kid. Who wouldn't want him??!! hee hee I am sure he will come home one changed little man. But at least he is showing impecable taste! Hopefully one day Ethan can buy the car shown above when he becomes a big time neurosurgeon!! Then he can spring for an extra one for his mama!!

Ciao all.

Bologna

No, not the gross luncheon meat. Rather the province where Ethan is right now in north eastern Italy. The majority of my dad's family all live in Campobasso. But one of my dad's sisters and his baby brother live in Imola, Bologna. So they have headed up there for a week and will do sight seeing up there. This cool castle, "Sforza Castle", is right in the middle of the city. It is pretty awesome and dates back to 800 AD. Ethan has already emailed me several times and described his adventures exploring old castles and churches. It is truly mind boggling - that these structures survive. You can feel the energy and history ooze from every pore. It is truly amazing. I am ever grateful that Ethan has had this opportunity.

Not much is going on around here. Bella seems to have picked up a cold already. Just two weeks into school... Sigh. But I guess I should be grateful that it is only a cold and will go away in a few days, and it is not the flu or anything else. Kids are germy. I wish I could send her to school in a bubble, but such is not the case.

Last night my Relief Society had a cool recipe swap night. Tasty. I brought my mom's Easy Pesto recipe to share and I made pasta primavera with pesto cream sauce to sample. Tasty. And my recipe was snapped up. Of course, I totally went over the top and did fancy cards for everyone. I kind of upstaged the rest of the recipes, but oh well. You know me - go big or go home. That is my motto for everything in life. If I am going to participate in something, I am going to give it my all. Anything less will not do.

So here is my recipe for y'all to try. Enjoy. Ciao.

PESTO alla Giovanna Chiarizio

3 cups fresh basil leaves
1 ½ cups pinenuts, toasted
4 cloves garlic, peeled
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor blend together basil leaves, nuts, garlic, and cheese. Pour in olive oil slowly while still mixing to combine. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

Keep in a jar with a few tablespoons of oil on top so the pesto does not spoil.

My good ol' OCD came through again

Bella's K teacher, Ms. M, is amazing. Ethan had her for K - I loved her then, and I love her now. So yesterday she sent home this envlope with a lovely letter - Dear parents: please make a book about your child so he/she can share it with the class - help them learn about community and sense of belonging, etc. etc... Assignment due October 14/08. Okay. I'm done. I did a totally COOL 8x8 scrap book for Bella. This is the cover. I don't want to share what's inside because it is too personal for the internet. But the kids in Bella's class will get a kick out of the pics and the stories. It was totally fun to do. I used up all my scraps and little things. It is great! And my OCD did not let me down. I am done, with a month to spare... Such is life. Well, such is MY life. Can't let projects go undone. Not around here. So enjoy Ms. M!! She has probably forgotten how anal I am... Well, this will remind her, and in a hurry!! hee hee

Oh, and have I ever mentioned that blueberries are da' bomb!! We went to a blueberry farm this morning and picked up 20 lbs of the most gorgeous, fat, sweet berries you could imagine. Grown totally organically - no pesticides, etc. Delicious. I have made a cheesecake and now I am going to make homemade blueberry topping for the cheesecake. Mmm.... It will have to set overnight, but tomorrow there will be good eating around here!

And my mom called my sister this morning from Italy to give an update. All is well. Ethan is having a blast. I am so happy for him. He is spending the majority of his time with my cousin's 6 year old son, Davide (which would be Ethan's second cousin... I always get confused how these things work...). Apparently Davide natters at Ethan in Italian and Ethan natters back in English, and the two of them are like peas in a pod. Love it!! That is the beautiful bond of family. It is great.

Ciao all.

Okay... I am ready...

For Summer to end!! Come on now. I am tired of my summer clothing and I want to get back into my totally cool Fall stuff... And I want to go shopping for Fall stuff - I am really digging those argyle patterns that are in this season. But today was 25 degrees. They say we are going to hit 30 degrees by Monday. Ummm, I am done. I have already dug out the flowers from the back yard and put the pots all away... I am thinking about working on the front porch this weekend. The geraniums have to go. I am tired of looking at them. They have been blooming since May. No more. I saw gorgeous potted mums in a really deep red colour that would look just incredible on my front porch. Plus I have to get the pillows put away and change the colours. It is hard to do when you are wearing shorts and tshirts and sweating!! AND I can't go boot shopping in this weather!! But having said all that, how seriously cute are these??!! Ya. I know.

Ciao all.

He has arrived

Safe and sound! Ethan called from Campobasso an hour ago. He arrived safe and sound. They had an awesome trip. No lost luggage. No missed flights. No problems whatsoever. But my poor boy sounded absolutely exhausted! Italy is 9 hours ahead, so his biological clock is going to take a beating these next few days. I can't wait for him to call again in a few days with some stuff to tell me!! And yes, I totally miss him already!! The house is too quiet...

What's up??!!

Ciao all. Just thought I would let y'all know what has been going on here this past week.

Well, Ethan is packed and ready to go. That is his brand new Italian soccer jersey for him to wear on the plane. I wanted him to wear this totally cool Vancouver 2010 t-shirt, but he wanted the jersey. So the t-shirt is packed in his back pack for him to change into when they land in Amsterdam, connecting to Rome. His suitcase has to weigh something like 22.5 kg - ummm, I think we are pretty darn near the maximum weight!! It is heavy. Because I am not going, I overpacked for Ethan. You just never know what he will need... hee hee

The kids started school this week. Again we are so blessed to have the best teachers for our kids! Bella has Ms. M for K - Ethan had her when he was in K and she is just awesome!! And Ethan has Ms. P - only been teaching a few years. Young, hip, totally full of energy!! It is great. They had a good week.

And finally last night Ethan had his buddies over for a quick birthday bash. Since Ethan will be celebrating his 9th birthday in Italy (oh, how tough!! ha ha), we had a quick party for him. He didn't want a cake. He just wanted donuts! It was hilarious. The boys thought it was great. And I only had about 5 or 6 donuts left instead of an entire cake. Good for my waistline!!

So that is it. I wish Ethan and my parents a very safe flight. I wish them tons of fun in Italy. I wish I were going with them. But that is not to be. I wish for them to take tons and tons of pictures so I can live the trip over with them when they come home! And I wish the time to fly by so I don't miss my baby too much!!

Ciao all.