Italy with a dollup of McKennaism

Let's just start with a bit of McKennaism, it has been far to long to share in what is my spunky 4 year old. Disclaimer: for those with children you will find this funny, for those without, just bare with me here.

McKenna is in the bathroom doing the deed and yells out, "Daddy, please come wipe me" Dad is no where near to rescue her so in comes Mommy, back-up superhero, and McKenna says, "Oh Mommy, you are such a pretty rose, you shouldn't have to smell this, that is why I called for Daddy. I'm SO sorry!" She is on to something! I should be relieved of bathroom duty from this day forth.

So I'm finding that I need more than one post to complete the Italy trip but I just can't do it. So here is the quick and dirty. This is why we went:


And to put smiles on these faces:

And so that this woman could spent time with this man:

Italian lifestyle continues to amaze me. Several times I went out wandering hoping to trade my euro for treasure and I found ghost towns. I asked, "Why is everything closed?" and these are the replies I got, "Well, it is Monday. Well, it is Wednesday. Well, it is lunch time (from 12 until 3 or 4:00). Well, the cow milk is not delivered until 6:00 pm" (I swear this is the truth) Then I found myself begging, "For the love of all that is sweet in Italy, won't someone take my euro and give me treasure???" . . . that would be a resounding NOPE.

We extended a couple of days past Mark's work days and sat ourselves down on Lake Como. Yes, my dear female friends, vacation home to George Clooney. He must have misplaced the note that I was coming because he was not waiting for me at his villa, with an ice cold Diet Coke and his shirt off. Someone needs to fire his personal assistant. But despite that hiccup we had a fabulous time.

Went spent time on ferry's with and without the Green Blaze o' Glory:

We spent time in the lake where my girls got to experience first hand the etiquette of European swimming, which is to say there is no etiquette and no clothing:


Then we spent time in a villa, Villa Carlotta that is:



And we spent time eating, of course! It was so picturesque and we now know why people spend an extravagant amount of money buying villas for their holidays! As for Mark and I, we will be content to stay at hotels, just driving through and enjoying the day, then maybe coming back again. . . and again.


At some point I will have to post about our drive home through Switzerland because FINALLY the elusive Bavarian cow was caught on tape. FINALLY! I can't wait to share.