Rome, Italy

We are having fun in this beautiful country. We have been laughing a lot and our stomachs are sore. The flight was long (over 8 hours) and restless, but we finally made it. Today we went around Rome or "Roma" as the locals call it. We got to drink from the same fountain as Julius Caesar and some others including Michaelangelo! We saw some architecture done by the artist as well. The ruins are everywhere. It's amazing that they're still intact for the most part. The colliseums are enormous!!! They almost don't look real. My favorite part of today was going to the plazas where there are fountains and the streets are narrow and lined with shops. It's awesome. The cobblestone streets are so pretty and there are flowers everywhere. We also saw the first ever picture of Jesus in one of the Basilicas. (We weren't allowed to take a picture of it.) Go figure. We had pasta at a restaurante and pizza for dinner. Dessert was huge ice cream cones, which is actually gelato, but gooooooood!!! Our tour group seems very nice, so we will have more time to get to know them tomorrow as we visit Rome and Venice.

our huge gelatos


This picture is for Benjamin.....look Ben, it's Mommy's Bus!!!


Mom and Dad on the bus on our way into the city (Rome)



Our 1 Liter Coke we got with lunch. Sheesh it was huge. Thought Micah might like to see that.





Don't ask what all the cool buildings are just yet. I'll post more tomorrow. We miss everyone.

Pritta's Visit Here!!!

We've been having a great time!! Don't want her to leave tomorrow.

Gee, thanks Paige, for making Emma look like she's stuck in the 80's.

Really Paige, you couldn't find anything else to cut with the scissors you were hiding in your room...really?




I think Emma is looking in the mirror here. YIKES!!!


Emma all grown up.

Playing Outside.

We had a fun time outside today and yesterday. Here are some pictures of the many faces the kids make. They are so wonderful to hang out with. Never a dull moment. (or a quiet one.)


Ben found a rock! Woo hoo!


He's been making this new face lately. I love it.


Gettin' ready for a ride in the wagon.


Paige feeding Jake a sucker she got at school today.


Paige's loot from her last days of school.


Ben ready for a wagon ride.


Ben dumping Paige's grass. uh oh.


Emma Ding-Ding.

Only Emma would hang around on her bike like this.




We'll end with some silly pictures of Mommy and Paige, Emma and Ben.

Ben dancin' and slidin'

Ben was so funny on the slide of the little swimming pool we got for the kids.

Emma Ding-Ding

Just hangin' out with my toes.



a natural progression...



oh look, a pen!




I am SOOOOO in my own world right now.




oops....busted. Is this the look I'm going to get when she's a teenager?!? OUCH!


Girl, you better wipe that dirt and that look off your face right this minute!

Bonfire out back.

We had some hot dogs and s'mores for dinner in the backyard down below. Finally tried out the fire pit. Hope we do that more often.

Bath pics.