lunedì 14 ottobre 2013

Campioni di Pecetto!

There can only be one champion. And historically our neighborhood (Borgo della Torre) had never been it since the beginning of the Palio which started in 1979. Our friend Roby signed me up to take part in the games, knowing that I liked a little competition. After two trial runs on the box car, I was the chosen driver for our borgo. I was to be push from the top of the hill, just up from Sibilla, drive around the block, back up past Luca's school and then one steep curve into the main piazza. In the end, it's less how about how fast you can drive, and more about not hitting bales of hay, not launching your pusher when you hit a speed bump, and having the strongest boys in Pecetto push you up a long hill. 


Our Blue and White for all to see.


The Car, the prizes, and the 5 roped of areas for each Borgo.


Ready for battle. Scarf was removed before the race, we've learned from past experiences.


Off to the races.


Taking our serious walk of the course.


Blowing past Sibilla at 20 Km


Zigzagging through the Library parking lot.

End result, a Formula One style celebration!

Nonnie Bee & Poppie in P-town

Eight days of full on eating and drinking with Nonnie Bee & Poppie, the Leslies, and Hollands was marvelous. Here are some of my favorite moments, some captions courtesy of Betsy Font:





Time to fill up the wine bottles, the Leslies are coming!



 The Leslies and Nonni take their positions with glass in hand, while the bimbi enjoy a fall afternoon.


Time for the 5 minute Pecetto tour (This was our hello to Noah)


The classic dinner at Sibilla, Pat takes on the Torta alla Enza


with the Mole


Italian Open and our favorite sponsor


A happy ending for Ella who went flying down a ramp in her stroller (thanks to a push from her brother), crash landed against a dolley. She got a "small" bag of ice for one of the Eataly workers.


Cheese!! Our favorite festival, never fails to impress


Yummy Cheese pizza.


Dad who wasn't feeling well, relaxed in his favorite spot.


Surprise, the Holland girls sweep in for a visit!


Piera, la Principessa di Pecetto shows off a bottle of Barons


Boat ride on Lago d'Orta

A saucy Arrivederci from Ella bug! We love you!!

Picnic in the Dining Room and Sword Fights

As we were about to sit down to dinner, Luca decided to prepare his own spread. He put his blanket down in the corner and got busy. After 10 minutes or so, he said, "Mamma, come. Dinner's ready. Sit down." I did as I was told. On our Lego table, he had a knife (saw), a fork (spatula), silver bowl hiding the delicious contents beneath, and some sausage on the side (nuts and bolts). Who wouldn't want to dine with this handsome boy?


Here he reveals what's beneath, sausage and pancakes! Ella invites herself to the party.


Daddy left yesterday for China, and he will be missed for the next two weeks, no more sword fighting in the kitchen! 



Eric and Lizzy will go on




For a look back at a weekend of wedding and party bliss, please see photo album below. Photos courtesy of Amy, Betsy, and Carina the photographer.....




giovedì 26 settembre 2013

Out of the mouth of babes



I've had this scrap of paper sitting on our kitchen table for a couple months now. It's been spilled on, chewed on, and frankly I'm amazed it still exists. With the way Ella's been tearing things apart and throwing them into the toilet, it is a miracle I have it, and is the reason I'm blogging today. Our babies are becoming little adults before our eyes, so in an attempt to remember this transition, here's a few Luca and Ella-isms for the time capsule:

Give food to the ants this is what Luca told me one day when I asked him where he was going with the pasta from his lunch.

Yeeeeesss. Cuncle Chad pointed out to us, that Luca speaks english like an italian. One example, his long accented yes. It has completely replaced his enthusiastic Si!

Go Outside. Living upstairs from Alberto (our 2 year old italian neighbor), has meant that Luca on an almost daily basis, as soon as he's dressed, announced that he's going outside, going downstairs to play with Alberto. I hope Valeria (Alberto's mother) forgives me someday for taking advantage of the peace and quiet that ensues when he's gone.

Tractor House. That's where a tractor lives (in a barn), obviously.

Sophia Working. Luca told me how he was going to see all of his cousins this summer, Sabatino, Little Bella, Uncle Eric, baby June....and I asked, Sophia? No....sophia working. She is 14 after all!

Nice Bum Daddy. Luca often has to relieve himself first thing in the morning while Mark is taking a shower. One morning while sitting on his potty, he said this happily.

Puzzalente! As Luca acquires more and more italian each day, we are not as happy about some words as we are with others. This means Stinky. And Luca uses it for everything and everyone, usually several times over and loud enough to be heard down the street.

Go Happy....go happy, go, go, go, go! I may have made up songs about the bathroom as a kid, but Luca has his Go Happy song. Not a bad way to go.

Touch my pancake no. The pancakes bells still exist, so very often, we are eating them for breakfast, and while doing so, Luca announces I go poopoo. So he warns everyone that while he is away....touch my pancake, no.

Now for Miss Ella bug, these are more incidents and sounds rather than expressions:

Cellphone in Diaper. Yes, you find anything and everything in a diaper, but this one was a new one. Mark's cellphone went missing one morning, and I did not expect to find it in Ella's next diaper change. Fortunately she had only gone number one.

Poop in the Tub. It's got to happen to everyone at least once. I was busy running between the bedroom and the bathroom while Luca and Ella took a bath. All the sudden, I heard the familiar grunting sound from Ella and came running. I picked her up and as I flew her towards the toilet, some droppings scattered across the floor....not in the tub, so there was no need for an evacuation. Phew!

Do you want some cheese?? This question gets a vigorous head nod from Ella. She nods and shakes very well. Hopefully she'll keep up this cute and quiet method of communication.

Booty shakin'. I must have been listening to my "love" cd one day when a nice r&b number came on, and Ella, with only a diaper on, was shaking it, while she held on to the back of the couch.

Teapot. Ella has many nicknames, but nothing sums up her newest screech like this. When her brother takes something from her, or she wants something, her screech starts in low and builds up quickly to a high pitch whistle. Just like a teapot.

Mamma and Tractorrrr. These two words are Ella's vocabulary at the moment. Mamma can mean me, or really anything. Usually she uses it to get your attention, like get her down from the window sill when she gets stuck, or down from her highchair when she's done. Tractorrrrs, thanks to brother Luca are a new fascination for her. She seems to be distinguishing their familiar sound just as well as Luca. One came rambling down the street the other day, and Ella came running down the hall saying tractorrrrr and asking to be held up to the window to see it go by.










a summer well done, part one

How to sum it all up into a few photos....you can't. So here's some of my favorites, and no, there was no way I could fit in the fun of Eric and Lizzy's wedding, so that is to come!

 Mom never fails to make us feel welcomed.
 off to lunch across the bay, safety first.
 Tractor time with Noah Wilson.
good friends and good times....except when it's time to take a photo.
 Mary becomes Mrs. Hughes on a beautiful PNW day.
 Ella "blesses" cousin June.
 Poising for an anniversary pic...a few additions and 6 years later.
 Ella practices her strut and a bocce ball match after a muddy hike to Indian Beach.
 Jingzi strikes again.
June's smiles, a definite highlight
 Nonnie & Poppie celebrate 60 with their "happy" grandkids
the Mr. and Mrs. to be
 princess bug.
 Nonni Coletti arrive.
 girls and boys at the Astoria Column
 Luca and Grandpa
Kite flying.
 Trip to the zoo with the Nonne.
 Trolly riding at Old Spag.
 Gooey Duck Hunting on the beach.
Nonni Bee and Ella Bug
enough said.