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Mt. Etna in the autumn (or… hiking with kids)

November 8, 2012 at 2:40 pm

The weather these days in Sicily is just perfect in every way. Clear, refreshing days with big bowl-of-blue skies and light breezes. Rain once every week or so, just enough to turn the earth green again and give you reason to break out your cooler weather gear. And then there are the hints of changing color on Mt. Etna, which we are taking every opportunity to see.

Last Saturday we joined our dear friends the Arthurs for another hike on Mt. Etna. It was a perfect day: a picnic, a fireplace (even if we forgot marshmallows), a beautiful climb, and a magnificent view. Oh, and kids wearing themselves out with happy play!

Elise in her new hat

Mama Arthur and her brood

Lena and Lucas

The fire builders and their helpers. (Josh: “It’s easier to wear Elise’s hat than carry it for her.”)

How young families hike.

The final push and then the summit.

Beautiful Sicily!

“There’s our town, guys, can you see it?”

my gentle husband

we three and Mt. Etna

9 :: in friends, hiking, Mt Etna, Sicily, weekend

fall color in Sicily

October 29, 2012 at 3:41 pm

Ever since I returned to Sicily last week, I’ve been feeling sad about leaving beautiful fall color behind in Virginia. We love living here, but there’s just nothing like autumn on the East Coast. I think it’s the rich color saturation of everything: leaves, clothes, sky, scarves, apples, boots, lipstick, pumpkins.

Last week my friend Becca mentioned that there is fall color on Mt. Etna, the highest volcano in Europe, which is just a 45-min drive from our house. Quick, gather a crew and let’s go hiking! With two of our closest family friends here, we drove up to the slopes of the volcano, picnics packed and children in tow.

Aren’t the kids cute? Elliott and I got to see what “hiking” will look like in a few years when Lena’s a little older and we add a babe or two to our family! These are some rockstar parents, folks.

I’m linking up with Weekend Update Blog Hop and The Weekend File.

11 :: in friends, hiking, Mt Etna, Sicily, weekend

Jonathan & Erika’s rehearsal dinner

October 15, 2012 at 2:00 pm

Here are a few photos that I took of the rehearsal dinner for my brother-in-law Jonathan and his lovely fiancee [now wife!] Erika. The Garber parents threw an amazing party at their house with outdoor seating under a tent strung with twinkle lights; a whole roasted pig (!); a delicious spread of salad and baked potatoes and homemade biscuits; drinks and snacks on the back deck; homemade pumpkin pies and apple crisps and Nutella-stuffed brown butter + sea salt chocolate chip cookies for dessert; and a fire pit for gathering and talking after dark. The whole party was a smashing success. So happy for you, Jon and Erika!

thank you, Abby, Clydette, and Gail, for your amazing help in the kitchen!

baby girl with my apple cider tea & the groom-to-be snatching a taste of fresh pork rind

Jonathan with two of his favorite girls in the world: his twin sister Jess and his now-wife Erika

lots of toasts to Jon and Erika at the end of the evening

***

Last but not least, I would have loved to include a beautiful family portrait in this post, but… this is how our family portraits turned out that night:

11 :: in family, friends, Virginia, wedding

Jonathan & Erika’s rehearsal dinner

October 15, 2012 at 1:00 pm

thank you, Abby, Clydette, and Gail, for your amazing help in the kitchen!

baby girl with my apple cider tea & the groom-to-be snatching a taste of fresh pork rind

Jonathan with two of his favorite girls in the world: his twin sister Jess and his now-wife Erika

lots of toasts to Jon and Erika at the end of the evening

***

Last but not least, I would have loved to include a beautiful family portrait in this post, but… this is how our family portraits turned out that night:

9 :: in family, friends, Virginia, wedding

a baby shower for a baby boy

September 24, 2012 at 11:30 am

From the moment my friend Sarah learned I was pregnant with my second baby, she wanted to throw me a baby shower. During the course of planning the shower, I sent her a few ideas (“This invitation is cute!” or “Can I bring something Italian-themed for the food?”) and she turned them into something more wonderful than I could have ever imagined. The invitations were adorable, the food was a vibrantly fresh and deliciously cheesy Italian spread, and the cupcakes and strawberry gelato (!) were to die for. And we did a book theme! Children’s books, friends, and Italian food… could it be more wonderful?

Sarah also planned the sweetest craft. She printed off pages that each had one letter of the alphabet. Each guest took a page and drew an object that started with the letter on their page. They would then write the name of the object and sign their name. When we had all 26 letters, we put them into a scrapbook and I took home an ABC book for my baby boy. I discovered we have some amazing artists in our midst (I am not one of them… my watermelon is lopsided and has purple seeds) and completely love this darling little book!

Enjoy the eye candy of a gorgeous baby shower. I love these photographs, the memories, and the joy captured here. Thank you, sweet friends!

Heather gave me Peek-a Who and thoroughly enjoyed it when I read it aloud to the group!

Can you tell someone is a fabulous 1st Grade teacher?

Just in case you book lovers are curious, these are the books my guests gave my baby boy. See any favorites of yours? I can’t wait to share them with our little bambino… and our little bambina Lena, too!