when in Rome...

befriend a good barista who always smiles & who will treat you well & make pretty designs in your cappuccino with chocolate :) mmm.

make sweet friends like these ones & have a lot of good laughs together!

go to the best gelateria & be patient waiting in line so you can eat the yummy stuff!

find a beautiful piazza & spend time there each morning. Spend time there with Jesus, with friends. Just start your day with a good cup of cappuccino & a cool breeze.

eat lots of chocolate cornettos -- and if you're pregnant, you just might get another one for the little bambino!

cleaning poop. already?

so I know I am preparing to be a mother... but I think that being only 5 months pregnant, it IS too early for me to have to wake up & clean poop! Yep, that's what I said! POOP!

We sleep with our windows open... apparently a bird somehow pooped on our window screen which sprayed all over the window... then managed to make it on to our WHITE comforter & WHITE throw pillow. Lovely. That wasn't how I wanted to wake up... cleaning bird poop off white fabric was not on my "to do" list for the day. But, I guess God has His funny ways of preparing you for motherhood... and this just may be one of them! :)

Although on a high note, this does make me really glad that we decided NOT to place our bed directly under our window...

(sorry, I already cleaned it or else I'd post a photo- oops!)

doughnuts.

why do doughnuts always look so good?

{click here }

...beware, your mouth may water

my thankful Thanksgiving countdown; day 0

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

right now I am thankful for...
...becoming an aunt June 10!!! Congrats Linds & Tom!
...my family being all together (minus 2 in LA!) We miss you!
...good home cooked food by my amazing & talented parents.
...a day to celebrate what we are thankful for.

...being old enough to wake up in time to watch the Thanksgiving day parade.

...it's officially Christmas season-- the Christmas music will come out!

...my relationship with my Lord & Saviour, Jesus Christ.

my thankful Thanksgiving countdown; day 1

right now I am thankful for...
...seeing my family! My sister & her husband are here!!
...the hazelnut biscotti creamer for my coffee.
...home made bread baking in the oven.
...the sunny, cool day.
...christmas trees.
...sleeping in.
...hearing from friends far away.
...listening to fun music.

my thankful Thanksgiving countdown; day 2

right now I am thankful for...
...finding birthday cards in our front door.
...being able to dye my hair so it's pretty dark again.
...seeing friends randomly at the mall.
...finding the perfect coat to add to my wish list.
...eating pizza with my parents.
...relaxing & hanging out with my family.
...early thoughtful birthday presents.

my thankful Thanksgiving countdown; day 3

right now I am thankful for...

...friends; seeing old ones & growing closer to new ones.

...being able to have fires in our fireplace & make smores.

...medicine- so my cold doesn't seem so bad.

...slippers, blankets & warm sweaters.

...sweet birthday wishes from friends already.

...my phone that works so I can talk longer than 1 minute without the battery dying now.

...this day.  The one day that I am sure of that I have.  This day that the Lord allowed me to enjoy. [James 4:13-15]

right now...

right now I am remerbering my favorite things about yesterday....

1.  spending time  with Jesus at Starbucks in Colerain in my favorite chair!!!

2.  sitting wherever we want at the Reds game for $7 & moving closer & closer throughout the game.

3. the sweet breeze in the shade at the game that made it soo enjoyable (I don't like being hot!)

4.  the patted seats at the baseball game.  GLORIOUS.  Never sat in those before!

5.   being in the city.

6. making an incredible pasta dish for dinner with Matt & Scott (Matt lived in Rome last year so he is an expert)  

7.  last minute dinner guests (Pat).  I love being with a lot of people & having them over!

8.  eating leftover birthday cake right off the serving dish with all our friends & no one being grossed out by sharing.

9.  rockin out to good music really loud on out ipod while cleaning up dinner.

10.  that Matt doesn't get sick of us & came back to watch Monday night football.

10 things

10 things I'm loving right now....

soule mama asks "what are you loving right now?"  And I thought I would respond!

1. being in the city with my husband on a beautiful evening.  It doesn't get much better than this!
2. hanging out with the boys.  Two of them just got back from living in Rome (one 1 year, the other 2 years), and I'm glad you're home.  Thanks for letting me join you for a night out.

3. crossing off items off my very long "to-do" list.

4. starting up sewing again.  it just seems right.  

(thats Griffin in the blue shirt)

5.  being up close & personal at concerts.  This was one of the best shows I have EVER been to.  We were at the Southgate House which is a really neat venue in Newport, Kentucky.   Ten out of Tenn (featuring Griffin House) was incredible.  Every musician was extremely talented.  They came down in the audience for "family time".  If you have a chance, GO SEE THEM!!!

6. walking everywhere.  We just moved into a new home this summer, and its in town so we are able to walk anywhere (for the most part) we need to.  We love to walk up town and go get ice cream or coffee in the evenings.

7. reading other people's blogs.  I've been so inspired to keep blogging and to be creative by what others are doing.  Thanks everyone!

8. that my husband will finally watch John & Kate plus 8 with me-- and he likes it :)  Their kids have such great personalities!  I love little kids & can't wait to have my own someday.

9. being up at kofenya, our local coffee shop, and listening to 2 good, talented friends. we miss you guys!

10.  Dolle's fudge!  My mom just went out to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware where my grandma lives.  And she was so sweet and brought me back my favorite fudge in the world!!!  I've never had anything like it-- and trust me, I've had a lot of fudge.  Dolle's is a family favorite & tradition.  It just wouldn't be summer without it!

reading.

We have A LOT of reading to do for our classes. So this is usually what our days look like. A big pile of a lot of books that we read, and read!

life in florida

Even though Rollins is on a Lake, we don't go in it...

Yes, that would be an alligator! 

It's a baby one, but still!  We did see a huge one later, I just couldn't get a good picture :)

Florida love.. I mean...

Ok, def not one of my favorite things about being in Florida...

Example 1:

And more importantly Example 2:

This is in our apartment building!  YUCK! Bugs everywhere we go :(