Mt Etna Snow Day

Mt. Etna from the Car

Serious Snowman Making

The finished product

Me and my little snow angel

Hello readers!

This past Saturday we headed up to Mt. Etnea to play in the snow. A first for us here in Sicily. Figured we better do it this season, especially since we are slated to head back to the south in a few short months. That gets a "yay" for heading to the states, but a "nay" for going back to the south. I don't like to be hot.

Anyway, it was a great day of sunshine. The mountain was still covered with the white powder. Jacob had a blast making snowballs and a snowman. Well, sorta. Come to find out, the snow here is weird. Not really the proper cosistency to make a form of any kind, but still fun! Playing in the snow again instantly brought me back to my childhood memories of playing in the snow in Vermont.

We finished off the day with a trip to the Italian Grocery store for some yummy, fattening foods for dinner and vino. When we got home, I treated Jacob to hot cocoa. The homemade kind, not powdered. He loved it! Enjoy the pics!

Remember that craft fair I did back in November? Well, a woman came by that liked my stuff and booked a workshop. Last night was the night. It was great group of ladies and a lot of fun. I started out with a very basic card (I'll show that one another time). The 2nd card was a little more challenging. We did paper piecing with the "Good Egg" set by SU! This particular card uses a different color scheme but is same layout, concept.

Enjoy!

Moving and the 3 year old mind

A few days ago, I was busy taking apart our computer desk and bringing it downstairs. One less item to move. This concerned Jacob. He wanted to know why I was taking the computer desk apart and why was it downstairs because it belongs up. . . Later, Tim and I were discussing our move. Specifically, what belongings to keep, yard sale, and put in the paper.

Jacob was sitting on the couch and joins the conversation "Don't put Jacob in the paper." We felt so sad for him. This is apparently all too much for him to process. So, certain moving conversations will have to be done in private. See how their little minds work?! Obviously, we reassured him he was NOT going in the paper, but coming with us. He was then ok with everything.

Valentines' Day Dinner

Remember in yesterdays post I said Tim was going to make me dinner? Well, he did! He did an awesome job. He and Jacob got me flowers and for dinner, Tim tried one of my Rachael Ray cookbook recipes. I love her stuff! So simple, easy, etc. Anyway it was out of her cookbook, "365: No Repeats" Day 147, Italian Style Garlic Shrimp with Cherry Tomatoes and Thin Spaghetti. He also got my favorite white wine. We can get it at the base and the label has sunflowers all over it. He did good!

Hope you day was just as nice.

Happy Valentines' Day

First of Happy Valentines' Day everyone! Any special plans? We are staying home. I have quilting class later and since my time is limited on the island, I really need to go. Tim is going to make Jacob and I dinner. I'll let you know how that goes tomorrow. After knowing him for 14 years, his culinary skills are not very broad. He says otherwise. Is that why when I ask him to make chicken or some other meat I always get asked "What temperature? and How long do I cook it?"

Normally we don't really celebrate Feb 14th. Some back story to that. When we were in 11th grade, on Valentines' Day I started getting roses in my morning classes. At our school you could send different colored roses/carnations to friends, boy/girl friends it was a fundraiser for a certain group. So, it was 3rd period and I get 6 flowers. I must have turned all shades of red. I embarrass easily. The slips of paper said they were from Tim but I really thought it was some of my friends playing a mean trick. Only a few knew I had a crush on Tim. By the end of the day, I found out it wasn't a joke and they really were from Tim. There was no school and a half-day or the next 2 days so we made a arrangements for our first date for Feb. 17th. A friday night. Actually wound up being a double date with Tim's best friend at the time and his girlfriend. It was such a nice night. Movie, pizza, and a walk on the beach. . . Oh and when he picked me up, he had a bunch of flowers. His parents owned a floral business at the time. Yes, he spoiled me with flowers those first years. That's why Feb. 17th is more our "Valentines' Day"/First Date Anniversary.

Have a sweet day!

Valentine's Cards

In the spirit of Valentines' Week I thought I would share 2 cards that were made on Friday night at my stamp camp. The nights cards/projects revolved around the Stampin' Up! Love You Much Bundle that was available in Dec and Jan. You can still get these items. They are in the new Spring/Summer catalog. Anyway, these are 2 of my favorites from the night.

All supplies are Stampin Up! Enjoy and thanks for looking!

We Have Orders!

Yes folks, we finally got the orders. It was just by chance that Tim stumbled on them. Work for him has been stressful lately and he couldn't sleep. I was up playing with paper and stamps. Tim was on the computer and the next thing I know, he's yelling (well, a loud voice), "I got my orders!" We still don't know the city, so until then I call it the "mystery city." He will try calling tomorrow now that orders are in hand and get that sorted out. Oh, and the best part, we get to leave a month early! Sicily has been nice, but all my friends here agree, the faster we get back the states, the better.

Things I look forward to. . .

1. Starbucks
2. Barnes and Noble (and Stabucks coffee at Barnes)
3. Target
4. Craft Stores (Michaels, A.C. Moore, JoAnns)
5. An American Mall (with my favorite stores Ann Taylor Loft, Gap)
7. Having my Camry Back
8. Getting our Pug, Star, back (I miss that little flat wrinkly face and big bulging eyes)
9. A real cell phone plan
10. Zoos, Aquariums, etc. that little kids can go to on a rainy, boring day
11. My own house (cannot wait to paint, have a big kitchen)
12. Pumping my own gas
13. Going out to a store after 7pm (especially if an emergency comes up like ice cream, tylenol, etc)
14. Traffic lights and Stop signs and people following the traffic rules
15. Holidays with family
16. Being within driving distance of family
17. A mail box at the end of the driveway
18. UPS packages dropped off at my door
19. American Restaurants (Chili's Here we come)
20. A new city with new places to explore and people to meet. (it's a little scary too)

And of course, just to be back and appreciate everything I took for granted.
Ahhhh. . . I can see it now. . .

Busy and In Pain!

Sorry it's been over a week with nothing to blog about. Actually that's not true. There has been plenty to report. Just no time to really do it. For the "Busy" portion of the title, I've added a new activity to Jacob's weekly line-up. "Wee Movers" It's at the gym twice a week on Monday and Wednesday afternoons for 30min. It's music/song/story/movement. Not really sure how else to describe it. I'm just tickled there is something for a boy of 3 to participate in. Tim would flip if I put Jacob in the ballet class with the little girls and sports start at age 5 here. Only down fall with this class is that it cuts into his afternoon naps that he has re-discovered. So, I have a cranky, temper tantruming kid again. I cannot win sometimes.



For the "Pain" portion of the title. . .as soon as I drop Jacob off at his pre-school class I haul butt to the gym across the parking lot for a class called "Pump It Up" strength training with free weights, bands, weighted sticks (not sure the formal name for these), it's great for someone of my size since the machines are made for average-amazon people. About a year ago I was going consistently with my dear friend Rose. She has since moved and finding the motivation to go has been. . . well, lacking. Since it's been about 6 months since I last took this class, my body is so sore. My butt, thighs, arms, all hurt. It hurts to walk up and down the steps, to get in and out of the car and go from sitting to standing. It's great and painful at the same time. I decided this past week though, I really need to get off my rear and shrink it. On Monday and Wednesdays when Jacob is at Wee Movers I hop on the treadmill/elipitical and do 30min on that. Hopefully all of this will result in toned muscles and less fat.