January Shenanigans

We decided a clear Saturday morning in January was a good day to take the kids down to St. Peters Basillica for the first time. We'd been outside many times, and Ryan and I had been inside before, but this was the first time for the kids. We climbed the dome to the top and after enjoying the view and the beauty of the basillica- treated ourselves to Old Bridge Gelato.

We also spent a few days hanging out with our favorite expat family- the Merxes. Angie took us around their neighborhood to a non Italian cemetary with the famous weeping angel statue, the pyramid and the cat sanctuary. We also spent a Saturday at Villa Pomphili. 

 At the end of January I went on a food tour in the Testaccio neighborhood. We had cannoli's for breakfast, prosciutto and cheese, pizza, eggplant parmesan, lots of different pecorino cheeses, mozerella di bufala, and last, gnocchi and ravioli. It was a delicious day!

Florence Day Trip

Ryan ended working most of the Christmas break, so we only had a few days to be together as a family. We decided to take a trip up to Florence to go to the Leonardo Da Vinci museum. We had fun learning about all playing with mock-ups of his inventions.                   

We also made a stop at the Duomo. I always love the doors. You can't tell from this picture- but the doors are HUGE!

This is a model of the Duomo

I've noticed that I take a lot of pictures of the floors where ever we go. I am so impressed with the artwork of the floors and always in stone. It seems that the floors are as much of the decoration as the walls and ceilings. 

A picture of the inside of the dome.

They had a 'presepe' (nativity) in the center of the church.

It was a bit windy and cold - but we still stopped for gelato before we went home!

It's CHRISTMAS!!!

This Christmas was the first time we celebrated all on our own. Last year we celebrated Christmas Eve with the other american families- but this year it worked out that everyone was on their own. We invited the sister missionaries and our friend Nathan over for dinner and our Christmas Eve program. We read the Christmas story in the bible, watched the video and thought about the gifts we gave the Savior. We each wrote on a note card the gifts we promise to give the Savior next year for Christmas.  This year was also the first time the kids 'drew names' and picked out and bought gifts for each other. 

We have quasi adopted Nathan in our family. He comes over at least once a week and Ryan helps him with homework and he gladly eats any American food I put in front of him. He lost his headphones, so Ryan gave him a new pair for Christmas. 

Christmas morning! It was a tradition in Ryans' family that all the kids had to line up youngest to oldest in the hall before they were allowed to go in the living room to see all the gifts. The tradition lives. 

Since Christmas was on Sunday this year, the kids only got to open the gifts from Santa before church. 

And stockings, of course. 

Clark was SUPER excited to get the box set of Harry Potter books

JR asked Santa for a "skyscraper" hot wheels track. Santa was a little nervous about finding one in Italy, but lucky he's magic and always delivers. 

Charly has been obsessed with My Little Ponies and was super excited that Santa brought her the big ones she asked for. 

After taking 20 pictures before church- this was as good as it gets.

Kate was super surprised when she got an iPod for Christmas from Ryan and I. We put it in the box Ryan's iPhone 7 came in- so at first she thought we gave her a phone. HA! In your dreams girl!!

Both Charly and JR got new costumes

JR's skyscraper track

This is Kate's new permanent position

And now that Christmas is over we can eat the gingerbread house!!