California Vacation

Didn't I promise that I'd write here more often? Do all bloggers start off strong & then get distracted with life and other interests? Or run out of things to write about? I am going to keep working at this, even if it is hard, because it's a great way to keep a record of our adventures and to share them with our loved ones at home.

For the past month, we've been seeing our loved ones here in California, so there hasn't been much need for posting for others. But, in case we return to Italy & forget what we love about "home", here's what we've been up to:

• Staying in a rental house in Santa Cruz, 2 blocks from the beach.
• Spending a little time on any nice day down at the beach, playing, walking, digging.
• Playing at the many local (& well-equipped) parks.
• Meeting Logan, the kids' new cousin.
• Playing with friends in Santa Cruz & Palo Alto.
• Visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
• Visiting the Boardwalk (& riding the Giant Dipper).
• Visiting the Seymour Marine Discovery Center.
• Visiting the Palo Alto Jr. Museum & Zoo.
• Spending Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year's with family & friends.
• Eating a wide variety of foods (of course the kids keep ordering pizza whenever they can, but I'm loving the Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Afghan, Indian, Burgers, Mexican, etc. . . did I mention I've gained 10 pounds since returning from Italy!?!)
• Justin & I having date nights & even a few over-nighters!
• Romantic getaway to Sonoma including my first wine-tasting.
• Zipline adventure in the redwood forest for my birthday.
• Justin barely working for over a month!
• Ander stopping nursing, learning to walk, & really starting to talk.
• No good macchiatos, but yes yummy mochas.

I have a long (& boring) story about how & when we finally will get to go back to Italy. Even now, with only a few days until our flight, we're not sure. But this experience has given us time to slow down, spend a lot of time together as a family, and think about what we have & what we want from life. Justin & I have always been such planners. Now we realize that there are things beyond our control. We have each other. We have struggles, but together we can overcome them. We have been extremely blessed. Now, all the kids are asleep, the house is peaceful, and I am able to appreciate it all so much more. This California trip has been good to us. OK. Ready to go back to Treviso now!