Rome Day 2

This is sightseeing at its best. I again will mention my disclaimer that none of these pictures do any of these sights any justice. It is impossible to capture the enormity of these places.

We started the morning with what will probably be my most favorite run of my entire life. We got up early before any of the tourists were out and did a 2 mile run to the Colosseum and back. We literally ran down the streets through all the ancient ruins and ran up and touched the Colosseum and then headed back. We had the roads to ourselves and it was awesome!

Here we are at the grand Colosseum. We did some research on how to skip lines and also downloaded free audio guides that were awesome and helped you really learn about what you were seeing and took you back in time.

The Colosseum was massive. It was built in A.D. 80 and could hold as many as 50,000 roaring fans. At the far end of the picture above you can see where they have rebuilt a portion of the floor that would have originally been there. The whole bottom section was where there were rooms and halls where the gladiators roamed and where they held the animals about to face battle.

In it's glory days there was a 100 foot tall bronze statue of Nero in the front. I would have loved to have seen that! It took 200 ox-drawn wagons going back and forth every day for 4 years just to get all the stone here to build this massive structure.

The games went on here for nearly 500 years until they were finally banned at which time the Colosseum was left to be used for various purposes for over 1,000 years and was slowly dismantled by Romans themselves taking the stone to build other churches or temples. What remains is a sight to be seen and one I will not soon forget.

The other area around the Colosseum is known as The Roman Forum. The forum was where the most important temples and halls of justice were built. This was where all the political speeches took place and elections and parades were held.

It is breath taking now to see. I can only imagine how it must have looked in it's day with sparkling white massive temples and lush green garden and pools all around.

Above is Charlie standing by one side of the Basilica of Constantine. These arches are about 100 feet tall and there used to be a marble statue of the Emperor Constantine at the end of a great hall. Pieces of this actual statue are seen in the photos below.

The following pictures are just different views of all of the temples and basilicas and the main square.

This was my favorite day of sightseeing. I am amazed at the genius minds it must have taken to build such beautiful and massive buildings. It was exciting to think that the very stones I was walking on, Cesar Augustus himself walked on 2,000 years ago!

That night we came back to the hotel for a little rest and then got fancied up for a dinner at a posh Roman restaurant called Il Pagliaccio. I am not what you would call an adventurous eater so this night certainly put me to the test.

We ate lots of plates of food like this. We did the 8 course tasting menu where you have NO control over what the chef is going to prepare. I was brave and at least tried everything that was put in front of me. We ate lots of foam of something or other, and I ate rabbit, and veal, and liver of something....lots of interesting things. I either loved it or pretty much had to force it down but it was definitely an experience.

This was one of our most favorite Rome days although I would have been just as happy with some burger and fries at the end of the night instead of the fancy pants dinner. I guess Charlie should be happy I don't have a "refined" palate.

Next up Rome, day 3 & 4 and then we are off to Paris!

Rome Day 1

There we were...a husband and wife, 12 years into marriage with 5 kids...sitting in an airport surrounded by people yet totally alone and looking forward to a week of adventure and relaxation. We knew it would be great but I don't think we could have known just how great.

It was a LONG day of flying. We had to fly to Detroit and then to Atlanta before embarking on a 9 hour flight to Rome. I was worried about not being able to sleep on the plane and sure enough I did not get much more than 30 minutes of shut eye total but we were able to check in to our hotel early and took a little nap before heading out for the day and it was just what I needed to adjust to the time change.

After a change of clothes we were off to discover Rome! Our first stop was Cafe Sabatini for our first real Italian pizza.

I must say I think you can take the girl out of Chicago but you can't take Chicago out of the girl. I have long been a fan of deep dish pizza with everything on it. This was no Chicago pizza. It was simple and thin, but tasty. If I had to choose a pizza to eat the rest of my life I would have to go back to my roots but I love that I can say I have eaten a real Italian pizza. Once we were nice and full our first stop was a church right across the way from where we were eating.

This is the St. Ignazio Church. We were not planning on going here but it was looking at us smack in the face and so we thought we would just pop in and boy am I glad that we did. I soon learned that you don't ever just walk past a church in Rome. Each and every one is beautiful and ornate and different.

This is the ceiling in St. Ignazio. I thought for a second I had just walked into the Sistine Chapel, but no, this was just your every day run of the mill church in Rome. Below is a bigger overview of the inside of this great church. Keep in mind that there are little alcoves off the sides that are filled with more beautiful frescoes and sculptures.

One of the coolest parts about this church is it's dome. You see that dome below, well it's not really a dome. The church was finished in 1650 but the money set aside to build the church ran out before the dome could be built so the artist built a 65 foot canvas to look like an actual dome. As you move through the church the dome changes shape and only looks like a complete dome from certain spots in the church. It was amazing to see in person and mind boggling to imagine how one could be so talented.

Next stop was The Spanish Steps but we made a pit stop for our first gelato. While this was our first I can promise you it was not our last. I think we had gelato everyday in Rome (maybe even twice some days). It was just that good. YUM!

Here are the Spanish Steps. They sit in the middle of the Piazza di Spagna and are at the end of one of Rome's most high end shopping with stores like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Armani, just to name a few. This walk of shops is definitely fun to look but not touch. The spanish steps are a famous place to go and sit and take in some people watching and that is just what we did.

We sat and sat and then sat some more. Listening to the buzz of all the quiet conversations and watching all the different people and soaking in some rays. It was for sure a nice moment of our trip and again was one of those moments that even though there were tons of people it never felt busy . It was amazing.

We did lots more walking and saw some more cool fountains and churches and then headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. That night we went to Campo de Fiori that was another busy square filled with cafes and shoppers. Just around the corner from there is Piazza Farnese with another beautiful fountain but it was quiet and filled with the warm light of Rome at night.

We ate dinner right next to this fountain and enjoyed the company of one another. It was nice to sit and eat at a slow pace knowing we were not needing to rush home to pay a babysitter.

We took a long slow stroll home through the Piazza Navona where the Four Rivers fountain is located. This is a picture of the piazza during the day.

This is the fountain at night. The piazza is filled with people selling their beautiful hand painted pictures of sights all over Rome. This piazza and fountain was probably one of my most favorite places. The four great river gods represented the four known continents in 1650.
A great first day it was. We got to the hotel and collapsed from exhaustion. We had a great night sleep and were ready for one of the most amazing days of sightseeing ever. Day two, here we come!

Rome

We are home from our trip of a lifetime. We enjoyed every second of it and we owe a HUGE thanks to my wonderful sister in law who came to watch the kids for us to make this all possible. We came home to healthy, happy children and a clean house. What more could you ask for? Thank you Bridget for caring for and loving my kiddos even though I am sure it was crazy and difficult at moments.

I am giving a disclaimer right now that not a single one of my pictures will do any justice to what we actually saw. The places we went and the things we saw were so amazing and while the camera can capture a bit of it, the memories of sights and sounds and colors and smells in my head will always be better than a picture. You will just have to trust me when I say it was beautiful and if you ever have the chance you should go!

We stayed in the Grand Hotel De La Minerva right in the heart of Rome. The location was perfect. We walked to everything except for The Vatican. We were literally a stones throw away from The Pantheon. This was the lobby of our hotel. We had a huge room over looking The Pantheon. It was so nice to be able to come home for a bit in the late afternoon and take a little nap and head out again to stroll the streets at night and have a late dinner.

Our hotel was right outside a piazza with a beautiful church, but in Rome there is a jaw dropping church around each and every corner.

All the streets in Rome are covered in these small cobble stones. It was very charming. As you can imagine, high healed shoes are a catastrophe here. All the women wear flats. I wore heals one night to a fancy restaurant and it took us twice as long to get there because of the care I had to take each and every step.
I can't say enough about Rome. I loved the language, I loved the people, I loved how they dressed, I loved the streets, I loved the sights and sounds....I LOVED IT.

It was such an interesting blend of old streets and homes and stores that transported you to another time, yet they were filled with the most modern and expensive displays and clothing and high end labels one after the next after the next. Every street you went down was filled with cafes or amazing shops. The blend of the old and the new somehow mingle together in a beautiful and perfect way in a maze of twisting and tangled streets.

There were many charming shops with vines of beautiful flowers growing up the walls. I loved that the streets and piazza's were filled with people but for some reason you never felt crowded. One of my favorite memories of Rome was the late night walks back to our hotel. The cafes would be filled with people the lighting on all the old buildings was warm and beautiful and every night there was a man playing beautiful guitar right outside our hotel. We would sit on the ledge of The Pantheon and listen to him quietly playing as we watched people stroll on by enjoying the night as much as we did.

Rome was perfect in every way. I enjoyed every second of it and I would love to go back and explore more some day. I have never really thought that much about learning a language but after this trip if I ever did, it would be Italian. Stay tuned for more posts of all the sights and experiences!

Grandpa

I got the news last week that my sweet grandpa had passed away. He passed in the most perfect way. He was in his home with women cooking in the kitchen, granddaughters talking on the couch and boys playing catch in the front yard. He was surrounded by people who loved him with a house filled with family, which is just how he would have wanted it. I was able to spend a wonderful few days out in Utah saying my goodbyes and enjoying being with my dear family.

I feel so grateful for the opportunity that Ethan had just a few short weeks ago to travel to Utah with Charlie and spend some time with Great Grandpa up at the cabin. Ethan was the last one of my little family to spend time with him before he passed away and I hope it will always be a special memory for him.

While I was there I had the chance to go through some old photos and I came across this one that I had never seen before. It is me with my grandpa in his shoe store. I quickly snatched it up and put it in a special place. I love the smile on my face looking at my grandfather. He always could make me smile like that.

The services were beautiful and I was able to hear stories that I had never heard before. My grandfather was a man of strength and spirituality. He will be greatly missed. Over the last 9 months I have said goodbye to all of my grandparents that I had ever known. While it has been difficult it has helped me grow closer to my family and it has strengthened my testimony in the gospel. I am always grateful for my understanding of eternal families. I know that it must have been a beautiful reunion between my grandmother and grandfather and I am thankful for my knowledge that they are happy and healthy together once again.
On a brighter note the positive side to a funeral is that I get to see my family. It was even more special that it was my mom's birthday so I was able to celebrate her special day with her. We had a wonderful lunch with my sister and aunt and cousin. And we also had a dinner with my sister and her wonderful kids and my dad. I just love being around family. I so wish we were closer in distance. I miss them terribly. All of this was possible thanks to my dear mother in law who came and took care of all of my very sick children while I was away. It was difficult leaving but I knew they were in good hands and it was such a comfort to me to know that they were with their grandmother. Thank you Diane...you are wonderful.

I am thankful to know that my next trip to Utah will be just for fun. We are looking forward to seeing family and enjoying some happy times together.

Last, First

Today marked a major milestone, Logan's first birthday. This could quite possibly be our last, first birthday EVER. How do I feel about that? WONDERFUL! We love this little boy more than words can express but it is exciting for me to be thinking about possibly moving on to a new stage in life. Not necessarily easier, just different. I spent the day making a yummy chocolate cake for his party. After all, the only reason you even celebrate a first birthday is for the messy cake pictures right? As you can see from the progression of photos below he enjoyed his cake!

Logan is also our earliest walker to date. I have no doubt that it has everything to do with him trying to keep up with his brothers and sisters all day. He took his first steps while Charlie was gone and was ready to show off his new skills once they got back. He is so thrilled with himself as you can see from the video below.

I can't believe it has been a year already. Logan has filled our home with so much joy. It has been such a blessing to see him and Sam start to be best buddies and wrestle and hug and love one another. We are so happy to have Logan in our lives. Happy birthday my little man!

Ethan's Big Adventure

For spring break this year Ethan got to go along with Charlie to Utah. We took Abby to conference right before she turned 8 and since Charlie is in Utah recruiting for BYU each year around the time of General Conference we decided to make it a special tradition for the kids before they get baptized. Ethan had a BLAST! Day one was filled with airplane rides, a trip to the nickle cade, a movie, dinner at The Mayan with cliff divers and then a night at the hotel. He also swam at the hotel pool and took a trip to temple square. They visited BYU and saw Dad's Engineering building and walked around campus.

He then headed up to the cabin to spend some time with cousin Seth and grandma and grandpa. Since I was not there in charge of photo opportunities it looks like we missed some pictures of the fun spent at that cabin. Grandpa took the boys to see the trains and then they went tubing and got to ride some snowmobiles. It sounded like they had a ton of fun. Next was shooting with Uncle Chris and then it was off to conference with his best buddy Luke who he will be getting baptized with in a few months.

That night he also got to see his cousin Scotty while Charlie went to the priesthood session with his brothers. Then it was back to the cabin to have some down time just playing with family and having some good quality time with those we don't get to see too often.

Each day Ethan called with his report and was so excited. I think this will be a trip that he will always remember. The rest of us are excited to follow in his footsteps in July when we all get to go out together.

A big thank you to all the family that went out of their way to make this a special trip for my little Ethan. We are so far from family and moments like these are few and far between so THANK YOU for making it such a fun memory for him!

Bathroom Update

We are still working on our bathroom but we made some big strides today so I thought I would share with you our progress.

(Bathroom floor before)

(Bathroom floor during)

(Bathroom floor after)

(Vanity before)

(Vanity after)

(Sink before)

(Sinks after)

The vanity came much darker than any pictures or samples in the store but I actually was hoping it was darker so I really like it. It is hard to take a picture with the right lighting. It looks darker in some pictures and lighter in others. The counter top is beautiful and I love our rectangular sinks.

Now we have to put back in the toilet, seal the grout, reroute the electrical, put in new light fixtures, install mirrors, fill and paint holes from old light fixture, purchase and install vanity hardware, towel rods, and then decorate with a new shower curtain, mat, and art work.

This seems like a never ending project but today was very rewarding to see it all come together.

21

Over the next 21 days my hubby will be home for 4 of those days,(or gone for 17)....does one sound better than the other? I think they both sound pretty bad but I am hoping Charlie gives me some credit for trying to put a positive spin on the situation.

Is it possible to gain 30 lbs back in 21 days? When Charlie is gone I get little sleep and am lonely at night. The thought of exercising after many long nights alone sounds like a joke to me. All I am going to want to do is crawl in bed and eat popcorn and chocolate. I guess a woman's got to do what a woman's got to do.

On a positive note I do have a babysitter coming to let me get out of the house for a bit. Oh yeah wait....that is so I can go and have a root canal done. Seriously, I know you are really getting jealous of me now! Doesn't the sound of having your root pulled out through a hole they drill in your tooth just scream of relaxation?

So I am buckling down. I am really hoping to be able to stay on top of my diet and exercise as well as be a decent mom to my 5 cute kiddos. If you are bored or lonely too give me a call or swing on by and we can laugh (or cry) through it together.