CSI Seattle and a frozen "lake"

Here are a couple video clips from the Arboretum, a park near the University of Washington. Yesterday, Antonello and I went for a walk there and played CSI and found a frozen lake. Something we didn't catch on camera was me going skiing down a snowy, muddy hill on my feet only to end up slipping and biting the dust and ending up on my back. It was really really funny...too bad we turned the video camera off right before the incident; maybe next year America's Funniest Home Videos. :o)

...a little empty

Antonello left 6 hours ago and is up in the sky flying towards Italia...I will be heading there at the end of February. We have spent the last 6 months with almost 24 hours a day being with eachother and while it was intense as we faced many difficulties, our time together was also exciting and beautiful. 

I feel a little empty but so full at the same time to know such a tender and compassionate soul. 

"Snow"attle and Diaper Dude

Well my friends, it has been quite an interesting and memorable Christmas here in Seattle. Aside from being able to spend my first Christmas with Antonello, we were hit with one of the worst snow storms in over 30 years. Welcome to "Snow"attle Antonello.

Apart from being homebound for almost 7 days, my mom, Antonello and I were not going to let the icy white stuff stop us, so we ventured out with the car a few of the days. We live on a very very very steep hill called Dravus so we had to find a different route to take, (our very first outing had us literally slipping down a semi-steep hill in the car...a little scary, I have to admit) but we were rock stars as we headed out in the snow.

This Christmas holiday started off a little rocky with the snow but ended up being absolutely wonderful filled with sledding, taking walks in the snow, solving puzzles, playing card games, eating chocolate and home-cooked Italian food, listening to Frank Sinatra's Christmas album, and making memories to last a lifetime! :o)

Eric and Susan, the couple that my mom works for, who are so kind and generous, blessed Antonello and I with a new flip video camera so here are a couple videos from that winter wonderland and Christmas morning. The first is of my backyard after one of the heaviest snow days (enough already!!!) and another is of our beloved Rufus. Eric and Susan are the proud parents of this wonderful corgi, Rufus, and while they have been away back east, we have gotten the privilege of watching over him. We like to call him 'diaper dude', seeing that he needs to wear a little dipey in his old age. We love him so. In this video, he wants my stocking on Christmas morning and won't stop until he gets a little taste! :)

snowy days, downtown Seattle, and memories!

albero di nonna (grammy's christmas tree!)

Here is grammy's little tree that we set up last night. As much as this family has become my family too, I am at a loss for words with how excited I am to see my mom. I don't think we have ever gone 6 months without seeing eachother..and if we have, we have never been this far apart. Bring on the home-made fudge!!!!!

heart of gratitude...

I have 10 more days in Napoli before Antonello and I step on a plane and head back to the states for Christmas. As much as I am ready to see my mom and to be immersed back in english...I have to stop and truly think about all I have experienced here in the last 6 months. It has been so difficult but so healing as well. There are so many things that I will miss and there are so many things that I am grateful for....here are a few today!

So so so so thankful for grammy...the food she cooks tastes delicious every single time but more importantly, she is one of the most wisest, patient, and faithful women I have ever known.As much as I miss having a dryer, there is nothing like the smell of clean clothes hung out to dry on the line....

I probably have 11.5 more years to go before I am fluent in italian :), but I am more than grateful for being able to learn another language and to gain new perspectives with this culture and this country.

I am finally done with all the ornaments for the children at church!!!! I hope they like them!

...mmmm...fresh veggies daily and see that espresso maker in the back?....my favorite time of day is when grammy makes caffe! Buonissimo!

Don't get me started on the bread...so wonderful and fresh and...actually, I might be turning into a piece of bread with how much I eat daily! :)

The family always tells me that I am, "pazza per frutta!" They are right, I am crazy for fruit!