School Starts and a Kindergarten Miracle

 The traditional school year is officially in full swing.  Grant started 2nd grade a week ago...I'm not sure if his hand gesture is to indicate that or world peace, either way, he is one grown up fella!  So far, he has been so glad to be back to being a student.  I choked up as a dropped him off, and that didn't give me hope that Katelee's first day of kindergarten would be easy. 

 She begun her educational journey into kindergarten just yesterday.  I couldn't even talk to her about it.  I got her ready, told her how much I loved her and would be thinking about her all day.  I gave her a penny, just like I did on Grant's first kindergarten day. I told her that if she was ever nervous to just rub it to know she is so loved and she would be in my mind every time she touched it.  Well, girls' cute skirts don't have pockets, so she couldn't tuck it away and discreetly touch it like Grant could...so it got stashed in the backpack.  Truthfully, I don't think she needed it.  She told me she thought about me all day, but when the time came for her to run into the classroom, she sprinted towards the door.  I had already given her a hug before we got to the playground in case I didn't get another chance, but when that whistle blew and Katelee, excited as could be, rushed to join her classmates, I couldn't help myself...I lunged at her arm and pulled her to me.  She looked at me like I had lost my marbles, I mean how many times did she have to say goodbye??!  But, after one last kiss and hug, she was out of site and I scooped up Miss Brenna to finish my cry in the car.  I am a baby, I know, you would think #2 wouldn't be as hard as your first.  Really, it probably wasn't, but I think you gear yourself up for all the milestones your oldest has ahead, and before you know it, the subsequent children are there too.  On one hand she seems like she is too little to start, but on the other, I know she really is so ready...I mean, look, she too can rock the peace sign like a tween...

 Our miracle:  The night before K started school, I had to take a phone call and Dave got dinner going for the kids.  After I finished my call, I joined the family, got lost in our wonderful dinner discussions (wink wink...it's usually more like, "Brenna, stop walking across the table!")...and I turned to look at Katelee's half eaten plate.  I gasped and exclaimed "Dave!!!  A flour tortilla?!!?? Her first day of school is tomorrow!!!"  He had accidentally made Katelee's quesadilla with a flour tortilla instead of corn and our little celiac head can't tolerate that.  After hearing that outburst, Katelee threw down her food and sobbed.  She was beside herself crying out that she would be sick at school.  She really does get violently ill, frequently just from a contamination of a crumb of gluten.  Well, Dave had planned on giving her a priesthood blessing to start school anyway, so in his blessing, he included a promise that she wouldn't get sick....and she didn't-at all!!!  Such a great blessing and faith promoting experience for us. So far so good, so I have a feeling that this  school year is going to ROCK!!

Bonjourno Italia!! warning:travelogue ahead

 A few years ago, Dave was in his travel agent planning mode and asked me if I could go anywhere for our 10 year anniversary...if money was no factor...where would I want to go.  I told him-ITALY!  So, when his worked announced last year that the destination for President's Club was going to be in Rome, a few months after our 10 year, we knew we had to go!!  Dave pushed so hard to qualify, and literally made it at the last second.  And thus, our Italian dream began!  We left the kids for 9 days in the capable hands of our parents and we were off.  First stop: VENICE

 We had a hotel right on the water, stayed the night, had a gondola ride, and went to Murano to the glass factory.  We had to book it to catch a train to our next city.  Dave had booked a hotel in the Tuscan countryside and was told to go to the city of Arezzo.  Well, here we are on our train to Arezzo, happy as can be, because at this time, we didn't know we were heading 4 hours in the wrong direction of where our hotel really was....Barga.  We had some great assistance from some locals after they laughed at our expense (and our excessive luggage).  We were traveling with our friends, the Bevans, and their little baby, so we had a lot of stuff!  We had to rearrange plans and head to Florence for a couple of days.  When we got to Florence and were a bit lost there, who should ride by, yep, the Elders.  Gotta love the missionaries. 

 While in Florence, we went to Fiesole, an archaeological site with lots of Etruscan ruins, super old....we walked along the River Arno and Ponte Vecchio, we saw the Golden Doors to the Baptistery across from the Duomo.  These are incredible...please pause to take a peek below!  And of course, we saw THE DAVID!!  (not my David, Michaelangelo's famous sculpture, of course!)  I turned the corner in the Accademia, where the David is, and literally, gasped as my hand flew to my chest.  The tour guide with us laughed and told me it was right to be so impressed.  I fell in love with Michaelangelo's work on this trip.  Thinking about the statue now, gives me the chills.  So amazing.

 The next day we thought we would be brave and rent a car.  After a few mishaps-learning that the reverse in the cars there occurs when  you pull up on the stick!, cars heading towards us, dirt roads, etc., we learned that speed limits are suggestions, lanes can be shared with multiple cars and scooters and just go with it.  So, we did.  Dave was an authentic Italian driver and wove around like he owned the place.  We drove through the Tuscan rolling hills, stopping at the tiny towns of San Gimingnano

 and Volterra.  It was picturesque and quaint.  A perfect place to get lost, which we did, of course!

 Next stop on the drive, Pisa.  Really, we just wanted to see the Leaning Tower and get our cheesy tourist pic. 

 We continued on our exploration and went to Cinque Terre.  Holy Hannah, that is a gorgeous area.  I need to go back and hike and swim and go through the villages just hanging out on a cliff above the water there.  But, we were in a bit of a rush.  We had to get to the infamous Barga, to make sure our hotel did indeed exist and not in the dark since the roads are so twisty and some not paved. 

 We got to Barga, but couldn't find our hotel.  We pulled over and a nice local told us just to follow him, so he guided us up the windy mountain paths.  It was lush and breathtaking.  All the rooms were sold out in the hotel, so we got upgraded to a suite with our own terrace overlooking the entire valley.  Yea, no complaints there. 

 Unfortunately we only had one night in Barga, and then it was off to ROME!  We had begun our trip a few days before the ADP events started.  When we arrived in Rome, we were on ADP time and dollar.  They know how to take care of you, let me say.  As soon as we were off the plane, it was pure pampering.  We had time to walk to the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps before the welcome party began. 

 ADP rented a villa near Vatican City, overlooking the entire Rome city scape.  To say looking out over the Colosseum, St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican, etc was surreal is an understatement.  We were blown away by the view, the location, the trumpeters announcing our arrival, the dinner, everything.  When the sun set, an opera singer serenaded us and when he finished up, there was a firework show at the pond at the villa.  Incredible. 

 We got up the next day and went to church outside Rome.  It was such a sweet experience.  We met couple missionaries that were so inspiring.  They were so kind, they loaded us and the Bevans into their little car and took us by the temple site, where they oversee the construction. 

 After church, we hit the Colosseum.  Nothing like pondering holiness and gladiators back to back.

 Our tour around this place was the best I have ever been on.  The Colosseum is so amazing.  Our tour guide was a proud Roman (not a lover of the French).  He was so informative and made us understand the fascination we were experiencing. 

 Dave thinks he is a gladiator, but we all know who would leave the stage out the winners door...I'm pretty sure he would take the loser's exit!

 Our tour included the Forum and Palantine Hill.  As we walked along, our guide would pick plants and we would guess what they were-bay, fennel, mint, capers.  It was great.  He also recommended the best restaurant after we were finished.  My tongue has never experienced such pesto before. 

 We had to find Michaelangelo's Moses, also, that was in the area by the Colosseum.  I could not get over the fact that every corner in Rome is fascinating and touched by thousands of years of history.  You may just stop in a church and there is a masterpiece, or architectural wonder.  It's unreal.

 The next day we got to go to St Peter's Basilica, the largest cathedral in the world, where the Pope does his duties.  It is more than massive.  It also holds the Apostle Peters remains, as well as many popes through the centuries. 

 Before we had Dave's awards dinner, we hit the Pantheon. 

 Time for ADP award night.  We got in our fancies and had a dinner with awards, speakers and entertainment.  It was fabulous.  This string quartet was electric and hooked up to amps.  One minute they are playing "the Prayer," the next "I Love Rock and Roll."  It was awesome. 

 Our last day we got to explore Tivoli and Villa d'Este.  The gardens here were

 so refreshing.  I even got Dave to play a quick game of hide and seek in the maze...

 yea right!

 Of course, we had to see the Sistine Chapel.  Sorry folks, no pictures allowed there...we followed the rules, most of the tourists didn't inside.  It was better than I could have imagined it to be. 

 Wrapping up our Italy extravaganza, was a farewell party in Borghese Park.  (think Central Park of Rome)  Can you tell we had a great time!?  As if anyone really read all this....ha!