June 30

Che caldo!!!!

Boy is it ever hot! I had forgotten how heat and sweat do not match well on human skin!!!

Any how, things are great. This short update is mostly to show you all some great shots of the region of Lazio and some corners of Italy you may not know. FORZA ITALIA!!!

Here I also add a shot of the three happy cousins, just out of my brother s house.

Hope you are all cheering for our great team!

Take care (and write comments if you have the time! It is nice to feel someone is reading these updates).

June 26, First day of camp.

The kids are finally at camp. The main reason we got this far this early and for this long. Seeing all friends from two years ago was certainly a blast, and I know that all at Borgo will take good care of them.

Michele si trova nello stesso gruppo di Daniele ( a presto fotine di tutTi) mentre Marco è nel gruppo tutto da solo. Questo dovrebbe davvero aiutarlo a sciogliersi la lingua!

Yesterday we took it easy, going to the old church (45 minute mass…unbeatable time!) and with zio Morino at home with us for lunch. A walk to St. Peter’s square finished it off with style (see pictures and lovely sceneries).

It is hot, but we are still too tired to not give in to sleeping and recuperating all energies. Now that the children are in a set schedule we will get to a routine and set to work in these harsh conditions: a shady corner by a lovely ancient piazza, maybe a granita by our side, a lovely site of well dressed people, some noise, and a lap top to concentrate on our tasks for work back home. Life is hard!

And tonight Italy plays! Forza Azzurri!!!

See you soon,

Val

(le fotine sono di Marco e Michele ad una fontana dietro san Pietro e con Zio Morino con Castel Sant Angelo alle spalle. Altre fotine belle da vedere qui: http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j71/paperella/?action=view&slideshow=true

We are finally here. About 23 hours of planes, airports, long check ins and all in between we got to Rome all in one piece. Of course once the three of us and one set of three lugguage pieces and all carry ons are on our carts, the only two elevators to the way to the car rental place do not work. So we get to do sets of staircases with hundreds of pounds on our back.

Then the car rental place is full and it takes another good three quarters of an hour to get the car. (super small by our standards by the way!)

Any how, the crazy driving styles by Italians got to my skin right away and we are now in full swing (one 2 a.m. breakfast later on and a whole day of recup of sleep.) To get you all excited about our whereabouts and the place and people - I will soon post a linkand send those of you who have the courage to this first clip of pictures. More to come.)

....cant believe I have finally found an Internet place right by hour house!

Love you all

Val

June 22, 2006

7:00 a.m. and we are here finishing to pack and getting things in order. I am sure that we will forget something on our way, but that is why we have husbands who join us at a later date and can bring what was missed the first time around.

I think all is in order and we even checked the rental place in Rome. Sorry...no pictures at this point (but you can enjoy Michele and Marco at the latest family gathering in May). But we will soon get there and share the excitement along the way!

Great to have you all here. Please feel free to add your comments to our trip blog...especially those of you I will be going back to work with and see on a regular basis.

Wish us a happy trip!

Val, Michele and Marco