MEMORIES

I woke up this morning thinking of Italy. I had been dreaming/remembering our family trip to Italy several year ago. Oh the fun we had. It was so nice to visit with family and friends. But most of all the time we spent together as a family. The memories we made.  We still think about that trip and smiles come to our faces. We are planning the next one, and hopefully it will be soon...but in the meantime, I have my memories...and a few pictures!

It was so wonderful to spend time with family. For cousins to meet for the first time. The boys still remember playing soccer with their "Italian cousins". It was a wonderful time for lasting friendships and family ties to be solidified.

It was so much fun to take this family picture! Everyone's personality came out in it. We had just spent a wonderful afternoon talking and eating good food!

The siblings...Nicola, Giovanni, Annamaria, and Pino...

The boys in Torino...

We also took the time to go to the cemetery to pay our respects to Nonna Rosaria (Giovanni's mother).
The boys were surprised at the difference between the cemeteries in Italy an the one's here. They didn't know that you could "bury" 3 people in the same grave.

Playing the park in Messina. We use to take Robert to this park when he was a young child. It was so neat to return back there with him and Brian together.

The view of our lovely Messina Harbor. We would call this the "Italian Statue of Liberty". In reality, it is the saint of Messina. It was like returning home when we saw her.

It was a hot afternoon in Sicilia (Messina)...but we still had to get a family picture with the harbor in the back ground, even if we were hot and sweaty.

Roma! And the Gladiators! Brian wanted to take their sword from them. They were so good to the boys and played around with them for a few minutes. I think Brian would have stayed there all day!

Near the Vatican. Looking back at this picture I can't believe how much Robert and Brian have grown. It really is time for another trip.

"La Bocca della Verita'" ~ The Mouth of Truth. If you have ever seen the movie Roman Holiday then you have seen this before. Basically, you put your hand in the mouth.....and if you have told lies in the past your hand gets bitten off....we played a few tricks on Brian....so by the time it was his turn to put his hand inside he was a bit nervous. Oh how we laughed!

With cousin Nino in the kitchen...hanging out. We loved spending time in Sicilia with our family!

Giovanni and I on the steps in Taormina. There were some Greek/Italian ruins, a theatre type, that we climbed to see. It was a lovely walk and we just had to take a picture together!

The boys....They had to get a picture overlooking the ocean at Taormina. And as you can see, it was basketball day! They were the "all American boys" in Italy!

So long Italy!

We'll be back again someday! Soon!