Nana and Paco come for a Visit!

Feburary 17-25 2017

We couldn't wait for Nana and Paco to come visit us! The kids had a week off of school for "ski week", so it was a good time to spend lots of time together. Our first stop was dinner at Fratelli la Bufala, one of our favorite restaurants. Best pizza in Rome if you ask us. Since it was the season of carnivale, there was confetti all over the mall. Nana joined in the fun of throwing it at each other. 

This is the Appian Way. It is an old, original Roman road. We walked up and down the Appian way, found some cool ruins and even explored some old catacombs. 

 Paco wanted to go down south and get some *real* mozerella di bufala, so we made the drive down to a mozerella di bufala farm to see the water buffalos and to buy some fresh cheese.

 We stopped at a little restaurant and had mozerella, tomatoes and bread for lunch. Sounds very un fulfilling, but it was delightful!

 We also stopped at Pompeii and explored some of the city. It is amazing to see how well preserved the city was, trapped under all the ash. You can even see designs of paint on the walls, floors and different parts of the houses.

 We really are becoming Italian, because one of our favorite lunches is bruschetta with fresh mozerella, tomatoes and basil. We are sure glad Paco wanted to drive down to buy some mozerella!!

We also took Nana and Paco to Civita Bagnoregio, one of the cutest hill top towns in Tuscany. 

 Charly was lucky enough to have Nana and Paco here for her birthday. She wanted cupcakes to celebrate at school and a 'My Little Pony' cake.

Our last stop with Nana and Paco was the  American WWII cemetery and memorial just south of Rome in Nettuno. I never realized how much of WWII was fought in Italy, and all the history that is here. We even found a MIA soldier with the last name "Haynes".

Our church also put on a Carnivale party, and Kates best friend Gabrielle went with us. The kids had a fun time dressing up, playing games and being able to celebrate a new holiday!