Milan Day 3

Today was a very nice day - we went into Milan and toured the Duomo and the Sfoza Castle, unfortunately some things were closed because 1) it's Monday 2) tomorrow is a holiday but we still had a nice time. There's so much to see if you love architecture and art.

Christina you'll have to tell me how to do the fun picture stuff or the shuffle!!!

Milan - Lac Maggiore

Well our trip is progressing well, another day, another day of yummy food, foreign drivers, (well I suppose I'm the foreigner)

The gardens on the Island were beautiful - and we got great opposing shots!

Me & Mike looking out the garden

Mike left yesterday - and Mike's mom MaryLou has joined me for the rest of the trip - today we're going to the Città Centràle and going to see the Duomo in Milano, taking the Metro - then we'll eat prosciutto è fromaggio panzorotti - sp? (actually they are fried sandwiches not grilled, but a local favorite). Tomorrow (Tuesday) is the equivalent to Labor Day so many things are closed - we hope to go to Venézia Wednesday and Thursday. So much to see and so little time.

Isola Bella

Well my first day here was fabulous - even more so because my very sweet husband Mike came to Italy for the weekend and surprised me here!! He was in Dubai for the week so he came and met me at my friend's house in Milan - we had a great day yesterday - we went to Lac Maggiore - similar to Lac Como (aka George Clooney made famous) but less crowded but nonetheless beautiful....

It has been so much fun with Max, Louise & Sophia. Sophia makes me miss my own little guys so I made sure I took pictures of them before I left with my new portable camera! Good thing Auntie NuNu has the same one so I could download pictures!

I'm off!

Well I finally have all of my things in order - I don't think I slept before 1am every night this week! I waited for the kids to come home from school before leaving, but perhaps that was a mistake! They are arguing again - and don't want to do their homework!!! Yikes!

Last night I swam 1250 meters in the pool - I was really happily surprised with myself, I just hope 2 weeks away doesn't kill me!

Well I'm off to eat load of Gelatto!

DId I tell you I REALLY HATE SEARS

They are all unhelpful over there, I am still waiting for my service from the last time I blogged about my machine, I can't believe it! They cancelled my appointment 3 times! I ready to call "Finney on Yourside" the local television station about my case - maybe he can get me a new washing machine! I'm trying to get my laundry finished so I can leave for Italy!

New Computer

Well Mike got me a new Mac so I've been kinda in and out with my access..... so far - I'm not impressed. I can't get my email so I have to keep running over to my old computer to log on and get my email over there... I guess as I get older I start to hate change more and more! I feel like an old lady!

I leave next week for Italiano, so not ready, but it will be all good once I get on that plane.....

I cheered so loud after AI last night I was sure I woke up my kids up - okay, I just wrote a whole bunch - hit something and it deleted it all, but I couldn't "UNDO", strike 2 for the Mac

Anyway - as I was saying - I told Mike if Blake got voted off before (oh and the monitor is much bigger, but the writing is much smaller, good think I got lasik done because I don't know how people can see the silly screen) Sanjaya I wasn't going to watch anymore!

I finally found my charger! Here we are the old foggies on Easter...definitely have that "it was a long day at church look". I also found the Birthday Boy pictures at Chuck E's. The cute 3 boys right - Hayden, Lucas, and on the left.... Payson Brackett (Rachel's 5th).

I HATE SEARS!!

I have had this year long saga going with my Kenmore Frontloading washing machine, I cannot believe what a headache it has given me.... Last year my washer went out- it was only 2 years old at the time - there was a bolt loose and it every time it spinned it basically got out of whack and seared off the bolt holding it together... the fix it guy "did me a favor" and replaced 3-4 parts at once because it was such a mess - well they had to keep coming out, I had to get a rental, blah blah blah ..... well by the end of it all, I was one visit short of them lemon lawing it, basically because the tech did all the parts at once instead of one more separate call - so here I am at the end of my rolling 12 months still having problems and so I waited ALL afternoon again - he just called, surprise - he isn't coming.....

I'm ready to sell my machines on Craig's List!!

Spring Break

I finally have a couple seconds to sit down! I apparently am not very good at doing a daily post, but oh well, it is what it is....

Easter was nice, but really quiet - with Linda's brood going off to Vegas we didn't have our annual Easter Egg Hunt so it was a little deflating - but my grandma & grandpa came over and we played Mah Jong - I was giving my own set for Christmas so we broke it in! It was so much fun - we used to play every Sunday night growing up, my grandparents from both sides would come over and my family would take turns playing, we'd play all night!

It's such a nice week - no baseball, no dance, no homework X3, no carpool, no rushing around - I love it! Monday and Tuesday I worked so the kids came with me to the gym, Tyler's friend's family are gym addicts so luckily they came and took her out of the "daycare" (goodness she is 11!) and let her work out with them and play, and Tuesday swam in the pool. The boys love being in the "cave" because they get to play hours worth of video games! But they take them out to do Dodgeball or basketball or whatever so they didn't really complain.

I of course ended up working longer though - you know how it is when you get going on something and don't want to put it down - I even brought my work out clothes so I could try the gym out, but by the end I was too tired! But I did sign up for a mini-Triatholon training, it starts next Monday - I am so out of shape!!! But I need these type of commitment things to get me going so we'll see. They are training for a Sprint Tri, but it will be my first one so we'll see. Mike and Chris (Linda's husband) are going to do it with me I think. Those men don't even need to train for a sprint probably, but not me! So maybe I'll have some Biggest Loser pictures to post! If I ever find my camera charger!

My trip to Italy is coming up very fast - I leave on April 26 so I have so much to do in the meantime!

Today we've been cleaning the kids rooms, I got everything out from under the boys beds - hooray! and we're even parting with quite a few toys - which I'm glad for - Chandler is better than me when it's about giving things away. It's so refreshing to "clean house" It's amazing how much stuff you accumulate over the years....... well back to cleaning - have a good one!

Recovering

My head has been hurting so much! Don't know if I'm starting to get migraines, have really horrid allergies or have a brain tumor...... Monday I came home - luckily Mike was working in town - and went to bed at 4pm, didn't rise until I had to pick the kids up from school at 3pm Tuesday. I don't know how people function with them, or rather, I see how people "don't" function because of them!

I cannot find my battery charger for my camera, but I took some cute pictures of the boys at Chuck E Cheese's for their birthdays. Lucas' bday is 4/4/04, is the 4th kid - he's such an easy little guy. His speech is coming along quite well with his therapy and it's funny trying to decipher all his little quips. He loves playing with "Hay" (Hayden) so it was super fun for them to be together yesterday. I'll have to find those pictures...

I excited for spring break, not the constant kid noise or the in-fights at home, but for the sleeping in, no homework, no baseball practice, no dance every night!!!!!

And what is wrong with people? Why is Sanjaya in the middle group of contestants??!!!

Super Sunday

Today was such a nice day - we got up to the kids clamoring into our room with Leggo my Eggo's, strawberries, and juice on a tray for breakfast in bed. They even brought in the paper and had Lucas carry the syrup! They are really cute.

Conference was nice too - we didn't have our act together yesterday because of back to back ball game, pictures, pictures, ball game - then cleaned our garage all day until Mike went to the Priesthood session.

Today we had Conference Bingo and word searches going on and they loved it - then we did those silly little boondoggle things with the kids -hey whatever entertains them I guess.

We went on a family bicycle ride - I haul Lucas around so it makes for a good workout for me! The missionaries came over for dinner - that was nice too - haven't had them in a while because we share them with another ward, Sundays are hard to come by and M-Th they do a "pick up" meal - so you don't actually have them in the house those days. Which is easier since the husbands generally don't come home until late anyway.

Friday was nice because I got to go to the Temple with Linda - it seems like it has been forever since I've been so it was nice to get there and do some work. All in all a nice weekend. I think Conference is a nice break in the routine - where you still have "church" without having to "go to church".

I should be off to bed, it's a short busy week! I need that Spring Break!