Bits and pieces

New Year, new life

Hi everyone, since New Years is a good time to reflect and count your blessings I figure I will continue the thankfulness tradition. Sure, this year hasn't been without its share of ups and downs.  It seems like yesterday (actually a few years back..2010) we were on our own with nothing but a few euros to our name and have managed to save enough to make it a living and then some.  Through it all, and on a personal note, I like to think we've done well with the advantages we were handed. 2011 was a good year and I'm pretty sure 2012 will be even better.  So here is my thankful-for list.

1. We are able to help those who have not had our luck, even though it isn't always much
2. We are blessed with good health
3. Travis has gotten out of his spoilt stage
4. Hopefully we have accumulated a bit of ''wisdumb'' from our past mistakes
5. We are financially independent and stable, and gosh, is that a great feeling!

a tired me,2011

Happy 2012 friends and especially family!

Christmas Prep

I'm a total sucker for Christmas time.  I do so love Christmas! Maybe it's cause I've spent many Christmases in hot third world countries, where I felt virtually no Christmas spirit. So now that I'm back in whimsical Italy where the streets get decorated, where it gets cold outside and stays toasty inside.....I don't know, it's virtually impossible to not feel festive and decorate a month early.  


Clearly Travis is a Christmas enthusiast like me. Here he is breaking out in song as soon as we started decorating the tree. 

Making life easier

I have had to press the delete button to a lot of drafts lately. The one reason is that when I feel the urge to write it's usually about something that bothers me, or that somebody who happens to make my blood boil. As women, we tend to be very repressed, we don't want to be labeled crazy, so we repress our anger, sadness or frustrations-  It's no wonder we become that angst y, passive aggressive person that puts smiley face after every reprimanding letter, just to take the edge off the swing. We close our mouths and finally blow up and get downright bitchy.

~ nuff said

Something from earlier this year. 

Beautiful Tuscany

Who says work can't be enjoyable? These are some photos taken of Tim's last tour. Totally amazing! I wouldn't mind having a job like his.

Country life

Living in this town just keeps getting better. The old (and young) still stare, but it doesn't bother me as much as it used to. The priest has stopped trying to convert me. Travis is on a first name basis with about every mommy, daddy and child on the block.

But there are elements that make living in a small town ..... slightly tedious.