Welcome to Rome! Playing cards, waiting for Florida group to arrive.
Then we hit Rome running, er walking, with a long walking tour.
The Supreme Court of Italy. Locals call it ugly?!
Azaleas were abloom all over Rome
Piazza Navona is a stadium-shaped square with 3 beautiful fountains!
Fountain in Piazza Navona
Vespas zipped by us during lunch
Pantheon-best preserved Roman building because Christians took it over and the dome was copied many times
The Pantheon's oculus. The concrete dome was the largest in the world until the Duomo in Florence. The done was once clad in bronze. The tombs of Raphael and Italian nobility are housed within.
discovering first public water fountain in Piazza della Rotunda
Trevi Fountain
Abby
Base of Spanish Steps
Halfway up the stairs and to our extraction point
then we got picked by a bus and taken to our hotel where we got our room assignments and dinner (Bruschetta and Pasta Carbonara). End of marathon Day 1.
I loved our first hotel just outside Rome
view from hotel rooftop
The next day we visited Vatican City (see separate post) then had a little free time.
mailed a few postcards rested our feet
and spotted 2 nuns getting gelato :)
Then we walked over to dinner in town.
bruschetta and chicken dinner in Rome Lydia & roommate Valeria
And hung out a bit around the Tiber River during sunset
We're in Europe!
Group in front of Castel Sant'Angelo
Back to hotel and then early start for Day 3 at the Colloseum.
Colosseum/Circus: where the Romans were kept entertained! Clad in white marble, this would have been even more impressive
Roman Forum/ancient city center, marketplace
Pomegranate flower
Colosseum with basement of cages for animals, criminals exposed
Our EF Tour Group
Short break to get lunch before meeting back up to walk to our bus pick up to the train station.
Lasagna and spaghetti for our lunch
the second time we visited Trevi Fountain we were prepared with coins to toss over our shoulders Legend says: 1 coin-you will return 2 coins-you will fall in love 3 coins-you will get married in Rome
'Tis the season to frolic and roll through fields of wild flowers!
Sarah & Matt visited over their Spring Break, and brought our amazing niece and nephew Levi and Naomi! Levi spotted our chess game and was into playing.
PATIO PLAY TIME
Naomi was into Real Kitty
hehe
We heated the pool for a fun time.
Sarah had to try the local craw fish- Ew? Yum?
Houston Children's Museum was the best!
Lifting Levi with Pulleys!
We took a ride on the miniature steamer, choo choo!
Happy Easter! The girls had a 17-point scavenger hunt for their baskets and eggs to find outside.
We had Easter dinner at a friend's house.
Lovely day for a cafe
The Stallion Singers had a great experience singing the national anthem for the Space Cowboys
The kids got a kick out of high-fiving the players.
"Oh say, can you see..."
Cheering and fireworks at the end
Yoga in the park with Lydia on Earth Day
The raft still works!
glad they all got in the pool the first day-was a stormy week
39 Candles
Mrs. Applewhite is the sweetest!
Mom/Grandma Linda was in town to see both Abby & Lydia in concert!
Abby's 5th Grade Horseshoe!
Treble Choir's Pop Concert
Megan, Lydia, Charlotte
Mrs. Bouley has been amazing. Mrs. Kolb chose Lydia as student of the year!
Abby is going to miss the 5th grade choir!
5th Grade Water Party
Lydia sang Rainbow for her recital and said good bye to Joe. She improved this year, sounded beautiful in her middle voice, and gave a great performance! So proud of her!
Soon after, Grandma Jan visited!
Gma Jan was here to see Abby do her 5th grade walk with friend Izzy. Gma Jan was also a saint to help them start packing for our Europe trip.
Over Memorial Day weekend we had friends over and the girls did a wave dive.
Here's Lydia's Rodeo Sunflower!
Also notable this spring, the girls have kicked off their babysitting and dog sitting careers in the neighborhood.
