Natale in Italia!

We just returned from a wonderful 20 day vacation in Italy.  Paolo and Enzo made the 3 day drive with little trouble and although it seemed a bit crazy to do all of that driving, seeing how happy Enzo was to be at our new house with freedom to roam was worth the effort in the end.  Gio and I made the journey by airplane after a 2:30 AM wakeup on Monday (it is two-hour drive to the Bologna airport) to make our early morning flight. Our only hitch on the trip was a bit of trouble with the passport control in Germany.  Apparently my passport is too full and the officer finally let me go after I promised to get more pages added before my next trip.  So off to the embassy I go this week.  It might actually be a good idea for me to do this for Gio's passport as well as it has very few free pages in it.  Not many 3-year-old's can say that, can they?! School begins again tomorrow and it was easy to jump back into our lives here, a place that now really does feel like home.  Enzo bounded up to the park last night eager to return to his old spots (and to mark every single one of them!).  I was quickly back in touch with my dear friends here and already have quite a few lunches and coffee dates on the calendar.  So while our hearts truly lie in America and Italy, we are happy to be back in Ukraine.
Below are some shots of our time in Italy...

Our seasoned traveler, passing the time in Munich with iPad and Big Tom (and thumb).

Here is one of Enzo's new-found friends at our house in Italy.  Size seems not to matter to E.

The front of our new house.  We battled a LOT of mud this vacation.  Work began on the landscape the day we left, so hopefully when we are there this summer there will be a lot more grass and trees and less sticky mud!

The road up to our house, up which many village dogs trotted to visit the new resident.

Chess with Angelo at Nonna Luisa's.  Never too young to learn. (All of the pieces ended up on the floor 5 minutes after this photo was taken, so no signs of prodigy quite yet.)

Christmas morning in our new house.

No tree (we arrived only the day before), but Santa found his way.

Awaiting his beloved bowl of cappeletti at Nonna Luisa's on Christmas.  Note the velvet Christmas overalls and fancy shirt.  Might be the last time you EVER see Gio dressed like this.  Just had to do it. 

The boys...Pippo, Willy, Paolo, Gio, Guido & Nonno Renato (Mauro and Matteo not visible)

At long last, a bowl of homemade cappeletti!

Luisa and Silvana (sisters of Paolo's late mother).  

A brief video around the table to get a feel of a family meal.... Sorry I could not share the taste and smells!

Gio's first power tool! Showing it off to Willy and his son Matteo (Gio's personal hero!)

And now back to the table for...CAKE!

And guess where Enzo was this whole time!

Post-Christmas shopping.  Here we are picking out a bunk bed for Gio.  

He was thrilled with this, but not so happy when I told him he would have to wait until February for his new bed (made to order).

Napping in the store while Paolo and I designed his new room.  It is going to be, according to Gio, "sooo cool!"

Back at home assisting men putting a satellite dish on the roof.

Is there anything more fun than romping in the mud?

Yes.  Doing it with your dog.

Enzo spent most of his time outside.  He was thrilled.  It was hard to bring him back to our apartment in Kiev, but we promised him two months of freedom this summer in Italy.  He seems okay with that deal!