Cinque Terre

Yesterday we took the train from Rome to Florence...dropped off our luggage and took the train to Cinque Terre. It was beautiful! Cinque Terre is a group of five villages on the coast in Italy. We stopped at the last village and could see all of the others along the coastline. The water was SO clear! And the beaches were rocks (weird). We loved it and wish we could have stayed longer.

Today we went to two museums in Florence - saw Michelangelo's "David".
So no pics cause the museums wouldn't let us.
Tomorrow is Pisa and more Florence.

Oh! And the shower in our room works!!!! No more filling up cups in the sink:).
And I did my laundry today! Yay for clean clothes...

Roma

So...you can't do it all in a day.
We were under the mistaken impression that we would be done with the Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill by lunch - boy were we wrong!
We had an amazing time (for about 7 hrs).
We got audio guides and learned all about what we were seeing.
The audio guide might just be why we took so long, but we are both super happy we got them!
We didn't get to see the Catacombs of San Callisto - and are bummed. However, the stuff we didn't see will be here for the next trek to Rome.
We leave in the morning for Florence!

Pompeii and Rome

So...I didn't blog yesterday. I was kinda tired. We were in Naples, then we took the train to Pompeii, then we went back to Naples to get our stuff... Then we took the train to Rome.
Pompeii was amazing. And it was kinda cool to be right there looking at Mount Vesuvius. It didn't erupt and we are still alive. Not turned to stone. The kids in my class were afraid for me:).
And look at that amphitheater. Kirie Walz- don't you wanna try and project your voice in there;)
Our train for Rome was delayed for about 40min. This, of course, made me anxious.
We got here and there was something wrong with our hotel room, so they sent us to another hotel- no change in our rate or anything. We actually think we like this one better too! We took in some sights and then ate dinner right buy our hotel.
Today we went to the Vatican. It is SO cool! It is beautiful. And I cried. Like the crazy girl I am. :)
We also saw the pantheon, Trevi fountain, and much more (especially since we missed our bus stop and kept riding for over an hour...
All in all today has been great (minus my 2-3 breakdowns - but Olivia has been a peach), I am sunburned, but I got lots of exercise and started a great new book!

Naples, Italy

So Olivia had been in Naples all day and had walked everywhere (like her feet are way sore cause she didn't wear tennis-shoes...but I didn't tell you that.lol). She was at the airport to meet me and took me to our hostel then out to sight see!  It is really beautiful here- though there is lots of trash...
We had pizza - Naples is known for it.  It was yummy!!!!  Tomorrow we will venture off else where. Today I leave you with five pics of Naples. 

*the iPad will only let me upload five pics at a time...so five pics a day (not sure how I will choose). When I get home I will have TONS more:)

So Behind!

My blogging has fallen on some hard times...

I am so behind.

I keep taking pictures and then say I am going to blog...but don't blog.

So since today is a travel day for me 

(oh yeah, be jealous I am currently flying to Naples, Italy)

I am going to be posting those oh so cute pics - 

Eat'em up grandparents!

And do not fret I am coming back to Wendy's and will get some more photos in before the summer is over!

Bill - if you read this I have been thinking of you with every snapshot.  

Hope you are doing better and I am praying for a quick(er) recovery time!

We went to a park - they had a ball!

This is what I found when I went up to check on how nap time was going...

And I do not know how to put on a cloth diaper

not without the cover anyway - lol

Asher said, "She's wearing a cape!"

And this one loves his legos 

all he needs are directions and the fun ensues:)

All about the Awe...

So I can't really believe that I have yet to blog about this, but... I am an Aunt!  Again!  

Tobias Marshall Lawson

was born on Monday

June 20th, 2011

at 11:25am.

8lbs 13oz

21.5 inches

He and mom are fantastic.  

Wendy had him right here...at her house.

I watched some kiddos downstairs.

I am in such awe - of Toby and my sister.

I heard recently that we, adults, should be sure to install a since of awe in children.  

Awe in God and in our Savior.  

If we do not they might begin to see awe in themselves - 

that they are the center of the universe.

Well ladies and gents - we are not the center of it all.

God is. 

He created Toby - he gave my sister the strength to be a great mom.

A mom that will use all that she has to teach her kids that Jesus is their Savior (I have no doubt).

I have never been around anything this cool - this astounding and incredible.  

I am so lucky.  

Pictures to come soon.

In other news - 

the two oldest and I made sidewalk chalk paint today.

Yes'm, I said paint.

We had the BEST time (well until one decided that the trashcan was something we could paint)!

I highly recommend this activity.  

So easy and fun.

yes, he is in his pjs.

no this does not make me a bad Aunt :)

He painted a turtle

He helped me with a butterfly.

I had lots of fun too - 

like maybe I will do this when I get home too :)

Then it rained - so the happy Aunt doesn't have to clean up.

And perhaps we can do it all again tomorrow!

Sidewalk Chalk Paint - 

Equal amounts Cornstarch and cold water

(I used 2 TBSP of each first - that was not enough for us)

Stir immediatly 

Add food coloring (4-5 drops, or as desired).

then PAINT!

What the artists are raving about...

The young artists over here in my neck of the woods (Germany for now) 

are raving about the sidewalk chalk!

Nothing is more fun you know...

Well except for drawing on Aunt Katelyn 

(instead of the concrete) with the chalk.

We had a blast doodling outside!

It was all about drawing Dora  - for the youngin' in pink.

Storm Troopers  - for the fella in stripes

He wanted to know if I could draw a car - 

and then show me that he could draw a van.

Fella - "Aunt Katelyn, can you draw the Big Bad Wolf?"

Me - "Um...Probably not."

Fella - "Can you try?"

Me - "I guess..."

Fella - "Wow that really looks like a bad wolf!  

Can you draw a house?"

Then we decided to trace our feet to see how big, 

or how small they were:)

Lots of fun was had for all.  And I  have been informed that the super cute Fella will be a real artist when he grows up.  I believe it to!

Sticker Love

So Piper got up from her "nap" with stars all over her legs.
Really it was very cute.
Especially when she was running from Charis who seemed to be loving the stickers too!
Then Asher joined in on the fun and decided the best place for stickers was his face:).
I am now picking up stickers off the carpet...
Worth it.