Christmas-Time in Florence

Now that Thanksgiving is over my favorite time of the year has officially begun! CHRISTMAS-TIME!!! :) I thought I'd share what Christmas-time looks like in Florence, both at our house and around the city. I apologize for the quality of some of the pictures - many of them were taken at night with my phone. Anyway, enjoy an inside look at Christmas from across the globe!

Just as a comparison, this is a picture of Colton from last Christmas. He was about 12-weeks-old. It's hard to believe how much he's changed in a year!

This is our Christmas tree. It's in our bedroom in front of the window so everyone on our street can enjoy it with us. :) Oh, and Santa has already stopped by to drop off some of Colton's gifts under our tree. How good of him. ;o)

A look at some of my Christmas decor. It doesn't look wonderful in the pic but in person it's nice.

The nativity. Not every Italian puts up a Christmas tree but they ALL have a nativity. I love mine - it was a Christmas gift last year. I only set up part of it this year because it's within Colton's reach and I didn't want him grabbing the little animals and breaking them. Maybe next year I can set it all out again!

And now for some shots of Colton. He was all dressed up in his wonderful Christmas outfit from Grammy and Big Poppy as we were about to head to our work Christmas party.

This is a very typical Colton face. Do you think he's a little mischievous? :)

Another of Colton's typical faces - his huge smile! I'm sure he's screaming with glee, too. :)

He really loves this toy!

A great picture of Daddy and Colton!

Family picture, Christmas 2009

I love these PJ's from Gigi and Grandy; they are perfect for Colton. "Dear Santa, I can explain..." :)

Now for a look at how Florence celebrates Christmas! These pictures were all taken yesterday. I have to admit, I love walking through the city and admiring all the beautiful Christmas decor!

Piazza Repubblica

Same piazza from the other side. See all those people? It was a gorgeous evening/night last night and thousands of people packed the streets, strolling along and enjoying the sights, smells, and sounds of Christmas. I love it!

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. I tried some for the first time right after taking this pic. Let's just say i enjoy the song MUCH more than the actual food. :)

Florence has amazing Christmas lights out all over the city center. Their beauty is hard to capture on camera but here's a look at some of them.

Curtains made of lights

The main drag is canopied with thousands upon thousands of lights

A window display. The city color for Florence is purple and this tree was decorated accordingly. Dad, you'd love it! :)

Light columns floating above the road

Stars!

Colton was thrilled to get out of the stroller and walk with Daddy. :) I just liked the picture it made.

"Auguri" means something like "Best wishes."

Finally, and this has nothing to do with Christmas, I had to post a picture of this sign in a store. Bless them for trying to translate the Italian to English for the tourists.... but I cracked up when I saw that instead of shoes they wrote "shoeses." :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS! :)

It Goes Both Ways

It's very common that Ross and I make idiots of ourselves when we try to speak with people here. Either we act like we understand what someone is saying to us, only to be exposed when they require an answer or response to what they were saying; or we blurt out words/sentences that make no sense and must endure the blank stares and giggles from those we try to talk with.

Today, however, I was encouraged to find that Italians make mistakes, too, when they try to speak English. Last week we bought a new brand of paper towels. When we began using them we found that, apparently, this company is hoping to make a few extra bucks trying to teach their customers English as they wipe up their spills. Every role of paper towels have pictures of things, their names in English, and then their names in Italian. I've actually found these paper towels helpful to expand my Italian vocabulary! I guess they've pulled me in with their scheme.

As I was reading my paper towels today, I noticed a mistake:

Sadly, now hundreds - if not thousands - of well-meaning Italians will be walking around calling a ladybug a ladybird! I hope that someday one of them says it to me so I can give them the blank stare I receive daily, giggling at them as I correct their mistake. ;o)

Fun with Gigi and Grandy!

Ok, this post might rival any I've ever done for most pictures! But there are so many fun pics from when Mark and Connie visited us last week. :) We enjoyed having them here, despite the fact that Ross was deathly ill about a week before they arrived, followed by Colton and me getting sick! Luckily we were all on the road to recovery by the time they got here. Connie, however, got sick while visiting! What a bummer. Luckily our good friend Dr. Kerr hooked her up with some great meds and she wasn't down for the count for too long.

We didn't do a ton of things but we did get some great, quality time together. We are thankful that Mark and Connie came all the way to Florence to see us - we all loved spending time with them!

Here are some pics from their visit. The first group are some irresistible shots they took of Colton...

C has started to smile for the camera every once in awhile. I love it! :)

Colton is big into hugging his stuffed animal friends right now. It's just too cute!

Colton LOVES bath time! He has taken to laying down in the tub, which he thinks is hilarious. :)

C also loves getting on "big people" furniture - like beds and the couch. He feels so special when allowed to sit with the rest of us.

I don't know how they did it, but they got some great shots of Colton while he ate. He is usually too concerned with getting out of his seat and back to playing to pose for photos. :)

Colton thinks it's hilarious to wear my sunglasses. We think it's pretty funny, too.

On Gigi and Grandy's last day we went to the park. Colton loves to play outside!

Now for some shots of the grown-ups! :)

Ross, me, Colton, and Connie in Piazza Santo Spirito - a famous piazza near our apartment.

On the Ponte Vecchio.

In front of Santa Croce.

Connie and Colton took a ride on the carousel in Piazza Repubblica. It was C's first ride!

Colton loved when Grandy read to him. :)

Ross and I in Piazzale Michelangelo, overlooking the city.

Connie, Mark, and Colton...

Still in love. :)

A great shot of Mark and Connie at ZaZa's - one of our favorite restaurants in the world - on their last night here.

My artistic shot of the trip.

Mmmmm.... amazing bruschetta!

...and the best steak I've ever tasted. :)

On the walk home we came across these Christmas lights! It was a treat because, though many lights are strung throughout the city, they are not supposed to turn on until December 1st!

Ross, Connie, and Mark - one last shot in front of the Ponte Vecchio.

Thanks for a great visit, Mark and Connie! :)

Another Doctor's Visit

Well, we could really use some prayer. Ross suddenly got really sick yesterday and the doctor told us today that it looks like he has bronchitis and a flu. Obviously we want him to get well very soon, so pray for that. Also, please pray that Colton and I DO NOT get sick! Mark and Connie (Ross' parents) arrive on Friday and we all want to be well to enjoy their visit. Also, I have so much to do before then, I need my health!

Anyway, going to the doctor was an interesting experience again - just so different than in the States. This doctor is British and caters to ex-pats, study-abroad students, and tourists who want an English speaking doctor. We learned of him last night through some friends and I e-mailed him, since it was almost midnight, to schedule an appointment for today. This morning at 9am I received a text message from the doctor himself asking if we could come in at 10:20am. I called to confirm and he answered the phone himself (I think it was his cell) and gave me directions. Yup, the doctor did this all himself! His office was very small, in a very old building. We walked in and there was no receptionist, just a clip board with a sign saying to fill out the information on the sheet and wait. When the doctor called us back, we went into his office - a large room with a desk and a small, partitioned off area with an examination table. He told Ross to sit on the table and did normal sick visit things. After the exam we all moved to his desk area and sat down. He told us what he thought Ross was facing and which medications he would recommend. As he was writing the prescription (which they do on, basically, note paper with their name on it - no signature needed) his phone rang. It was a girl looking for his office. She told him she was in front of the H&M and he said, "Wait right there, I'll hang out the window to see if I can see you." He proceeded to get up, open the 5th floor window, hang halfway out of it, and peer out toward H&M. "Do you see a silver car driving toward you?" he asked. She answered and he then said, "Ah yes, I think I see you. Are you wearing a white scarf and a white jumper? Just walk forward one more block and we are on your right..." Really??? He answered the phone himself??? He peered out the window, found this girl, and gave her directions....himself??? Yup, he did. Anyway, after paying right then and there (a requirement - no billing from that office!) he sent us down to the pharmacy next door, we picked up everything he prescribed, and headed home.

I just could never imagine having an experience like that in the States. I mean what doctor doesn't have a huge staff of receptionists, nurses, accounting people, etc? What doctor would ever text you to set an appointment? What doctor hangs out of windows to give some lost college girl directions? He was a great guy, very kind and seemingly good at his job, but the whole experience was strange.

Not only that, but we are learning that getting medical care here is expensive! You see, if you want to go with the public healthcare system you have to apply to get into the system. That process usually takes a year or more. Then, once you are in, it can still take months to get an appointment when you need one! Therefore, everyone - including Italians - who can afford it sees private doctors. The difference? Instead of the state or an insurance company covering the costs it's all up to you....or in this case, to us. You have to pay in full at the time of the appointment and if you are prescribed any medications or treatments you have to pay in full for those, too, as soon as you get them. As Ross has had trouble with bad pain in one of his legs recently we have spent A LOT of money on doctor visits, therapies, drugs, etc since our arrival. I gotta say, I miss my insurance coverage!

Anyway, thought I would share what, to me, is an interesting difference in a routine activity when living in Italy v. the U.S.A.. Also, please do remember to pray for health for Ross, Colton, and myself. Thanks!

Enjoying Fall

Fall is my favorite season. It always seems too short but that month-or-so that is cool (yet not cold), sunny all the time, and that ushers in the changing leaves is my ideal. I've tried to get out with Colton to enjoy some of Fall's beauty this year as I have a renewed appreciation for this season after living in Florida. Friends there have been complaining that it is still in the 90's. I don't know how I lived like that. ;o)

Anyway, enjoy some pictures showing how Colton and I have been relishing this gorgeous season...

At the park, playing on the slide.

Colton making a bee-line for the swings.

Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!

Colton loves to examine the fallen leaves.

Here's Colton sporting some cool Halloween PJ's.

Halloween isn't technically a holiday here in Italy, but more and more people are starting to celebrate it anyway. I mean, seriously, who doesn't want to dress in funny costumes and eat a bunch of candy?! :o)

Speaking of funny costumes, Colton dressed as a monkey (thanks GiGi!) for the Fall Festival at our Agape Italia staff conference last weekend.

Halloween 2009, family picture.

I love my little monkey!

Many of the Agape Italia kids. Each one of them (as well as those not pictured) is living in either Florence, Rome, Salerno, or Bologna with their families as missionary kids. God bless them.

Colton has really enjoyed some Italian food this Fall. Here he is after slamming some lasagna!

Finally, I have been thrilled to see the colors of Fall again!

This is looking into a park that Colton and I often go to. It's also a dog park so sometimes we take Beau to play here, too.

Some beautiful ivy, turned red with the cooler weather.

I am hoping that we will have more beautiful Fall days before winter really hits. The rainy season is starting now, though, so we will most likely have more rain than sun. I guess I'll just have to use that as an excuse to stay indoors drinking coffee and hot apple cider, and eating pumpkin desserts. :o)