Living in Italy -- It's been a YEAR!

[LisaKinVA]

It’s so difficult for me to believe that it was a year ago that we arrived in Naples one year ago today!  We were excited, hungry and tired.  We had so many plans! Here we thought we'd make short work of finding a place for our family, and be in a home for Christmas.  Of course, our quick work for our housing search turned into a Naples legend, having us in a hotel for 7 months.  Time marched forward, but we were not able to settle in!

 

In the last year, we haven’t done a lot of sight-seeing, although I finally made it to my first “market.† I went to Shoe Alley, where I purchased 6 pair of nice shoes for my oldest two children for 65 euro.  LegoManiac really liked his black Italian Leather dress shoes (normally 85 euro, my cost 10!), and the sneakers (not athletic shoes), and PonyGirl loved all of hers.  Can’t wait to go back with the whole family and get something for everyone!  Of course paying off a loan and having $1000 extra in your pocket makes a difference, too.  But I'm not the person going nuts.  DH went and bought himself a Christmas Present a Playstation 3.  I was less than thrilled...I still need curriculum, and oldest 2 need clothes.  Grrr.  Of course, it was "on sale."  But still.  Oh well.  Not like it's going to be used any time soon.  The kids are on haiatus from electronics EXCEPT for school requirements, and DH is travelling so much he's not going to have time for it for awhile, either (see why a Playstation wasn't at the top of my "must purchase" list??)

 

The past couple of months have mostly been spent trying to get settled into school/swimming routines, unpacking a bit more (my school/family/play areas are nearly complete as far as basics go).  No trips for us, just staying close to home (well, dh was traveling, and still is...so that impacts what we can do as well).  That changes this week!  This week, I’m going to Paestum and to Sicily.  Paestum is a family field trip…sans husband who has been traveling the better part of the past two months… and Sicily is our first swim meet.  I am looking forward to both trips!

 

We have finally settled into a good school routine for the next 6 months (until schedules change again), and children are all working toward their various goals. Boo is back in speech therapy at the school twice a week.  She's making significant progress as we work on phonics at home, and the on-line things at Time4Learning (especially really listening to the sounds/rhyming) has been very helpful.  We also just finished our monthly progress report review where we go through everything, set goals for the coming month and re-evaluate the programs we’re using.  Curriculum is still arriving each month.  I’m hopeful that we won’t have these issues NEXT year.

 

LegoManiac has finally started to grow!  At his 13 year old well-child check, the pediatrician was nervous because he’d dropped more than 20 points from his growth curve.  He had just been growing at the normal 2-2 ½ inches a year.  Well, he made up for that THIS year.  When we moved here, he had just turned 14 and weighed just about 110 pounds, and was 5’3†tall.  As of his 15^th birthday, he is now 5’9†and 150 pounds.  I *think* the rapid growth is about over, and that he’ll probably finish up growing around 17 or 18 between 6’ and 6’2.  All of the other children are still growing “normally†– with PonyGirl longing for her growth spurt to start (her foot has started to grow again, so I think her “turn†is upon us).

 

Swimming is going really well.  LegoManiac and PonyGirl love the team.  They are both aiming for championship times, and have really good shots of making them.  PonyGirl’s breaststroke kick and freestyle kick seems to be corrected, and she has made very significant improvements in breaststroke (She’s an IMer, and her breaststroke always held her back…NOW, while it’s still her weakest stroke, she is no longer falling behind because of it).  They have both had such awesome coaching.

 

Blondie and Boo are going to start ballet in a few weeks.  They will have a spring recital in a famous opera house here in Naples (one of the oldest in the world).  PokeMan starts kickboxing with me on Monday, and we’ll be working on finding him something more physical. 

 

As for me, I’ve got my work cut out for me as my in-laws are coming to town in 4 weeks.  They will be here for 3 weeks, and we will be heading to northern Italy for a bit of sightseeing (Venice, Florence, Rome, Vincenza, Aviano).  I also have to get really serious about my own diet and exercise. I’m exercising plenty…but craving carbs like nobody’s business.  Not to mention, my husband has been gone so much, we haven’t been grilling meat.  I have fish and steak and chicken all waiting for their turn on the grill.  Missing our grilled meat!!  I’m just not as good with it.  :(  I'm going to get the PiYo DVDs from a local BeachBody coach...along with Shakeology and kick things into high gear.  I will never look like the Hive's resident BB Coach, or my good friend from high school who is also a BeachBody coach (just don't share their builds), but the PiYo should be good for core and flexibility, which are areas I really need to work on.  I've been working out in the gym 3x a week (rowing, eliptical, treadmill and weights...mostly upper body & core). 

 

DH thought his business travel was done for the year, but apparently, there are FOUR more trips.  Hopefully, my husband’s business travel schedule won’t interfere with my travel plans…or Christmas, but such is life with the 6^th Fleet!  I'm going to Germany for a week with or without him (I have to, it's a swim meet, and we're doing some WWII and Christmas things with friends).

 

Well, we have a busy, busy week ahead as dh leaves again tomorrow and I have a bunch of baking and cooking to prepare for our trip to Sicily!  I can’t wait for the swim meet and the nice trip.  I’ll update after the meet!

[Jean in Newcastle]

Happy 1 year anniversary!  

[Susan in TN]

Thank you, Lisa, for letting us live vicariously through you and keeping us grounded in reality! I love reading your updates.

[Harriet Vane]

Thanks for the chatty update! Sounds like you are all finding your way. :thumbup1:

[fraidycat]

Holy. A year already? Thanks for the update!

[Heatherwith4]

A year? No way! Thanks for the update.

[TranquilMind]

Sounds like you are all doing well.  Wow, your son grew a lot! 

Thanks for the update. 

[PrincessMommy]

I can't believe it's been a year either.  

[Lanny]

Awesome.... Hopefully your family will be able to travel and learn and grow, during the years you  live overseas. I am still wondering whether or not you had to pay for excess weight when they reweighed your shipment in Italy. If you posted that information, I missed it.   You have opportunities to travel within Europe that very few Americans will ever have, so take advantage of that when your time and finances permit.  Remember to vote Absentee! Here's a link to get you started with voting for Overseas Americans:  http://www.fvap.gov/

The FVAP office is in the Pentagon and they help deployed military, dependents, contractors and those of us who are among the 7 or 8 million "Overseas Americans", vote absentee in U.S. elections.

[Jane in NC]

All I can say is ... where has this year gone?  Yikes!

 

Sending you good thoughts for your second year in Italy!

[Kim in Appalachia]

Wow, a year.  I glad you guys are getting into a routine, and that things are going well!  I hope the next year is even better.

[trulycrabby]

Happy one -year anniversary! I have very much enjoyed your updates this past year, and am glad to see you are finally getting settled in. :hurray:

 

I spent a month in Firenze over twenty years ago, and still carry the handmade leather bag I purchased from a hole in the wall cobbler in Modena. Enjoy the shoes; they should last a long time, even the kids shoes.

[Anne in CA]

Congrats!

[FloridaLisa]

Agreeing with everyone else that the year flew by.

 

What a great adventure!

 

Lisa 

[Mom in High Heels]

Wow!  A year?  It seems like you just moved!  Holy cow.  I'm glad things are starting to settle down for you though, and that you will finally get to start sightseeing.  You're going to have so much fun, and see so much amazing stuff.  Here's a tip for when you go to the Colosseum:  Tickets for the Colosseum will also get you into the Forum, which is just up the road.  The lines for tickets at the Colosseum are ridiculously long, so go to the Forum first, where the line is never long, buy your tickets there, tour around the Forum, then go to the Colosseum, and you can go right into it, instead of waiting in line again.

 

I hope you'll post your photos!  Where are you going in Germany?  We still all miss it like crazy.  I can't believe we've been back int he the US for just over a year.  We want o go back!

[Colleen]

Here's a tip for when you go to the Colosseum:  Tickets for the Colosseum will also get you into the Forum, which is just up the road.  The lines for tickets at the Colosseum are ridiculously long, so go to the Forum first, where the line is never long, buy your tickets there, tour around the Forum, then go to the Colosseum, and you can go right into it, instead of waiting in line again.

 

Even easier than that is just buying the Roma Pass online.  Did this a number of years ago & it was super handy.

[LisaKinVA]

Awesome.... Hopefully your family will be able to travel and learn and grow, during the years you  live overseas. I am still wondering whether or not you had to pay for excess weight when they reweighed your shipment in Italy. If you posted that information, I missed it.   You have opportunities to travel within Europe that very few Americans will ever have, so take advantage of that when your time and finances permit.  Remember to vote Absentee! Here's a link to get you started with voting for Overseas Americans:  http://www.fvap.gov/

The FVAP office is in the Pentagon and they help deployed military, dependents, contractors and those of us who are among the 7 or 8 million "Overseas Americans", vote absentee in U.S. elections.

 

 

We did not have to pay for the excess weight (they didn't have weight tickets, and once they subtracted the packing, we were right at weight).  Thanks for the voting reminder

 

Happy one -year anniversary! I have very much enjoyed your updates this past year, and am glad to see you are finally getting settled in. :hurray:

 

I spent a month in Firenze over twenty years ago, and still carry the handmade leather bag I purchased from a hole in the wall cobbler in Modena. Enjoy the shoes; they should last a long time, even the kids shoes.

 

I do intend to buy a few very special things (like you mention here).  It was fun taking PonyGirl shoe shopping, because some of the prices were so low, I didn't feel like she had to simply pick practical shoes (black/brown..basics).  I did tell her that sometimes a special pair of shoes was a lot of fun...and that if she was *mostly* frugal (practical) with buying shoes, it was fine to have some "fun" shoes, too.  Unfortunately, most of the 3-5 euro shoes were for summer, and since her foot is growing, it's anybody's guess where it will land (I'm thinking between a 7.5-8.5, but I don't feel comfortable buying and hoping they won't be too big/small).  Oldest DS LOVES his new shoes...even his "old man shoes" -- black leather.  I can't wait to take everyone back next month!

 

Wow!  A year?  It seems like you just moved!  Holy cow.  I'm glad things are starting to settle down for you though, and that you will finally get to start sightseeing.  You're going to have so much fun, and see so much amazing stuff.  Here's a tip for when you go to the Colosseum:  Tickets for the Colosseum will also get you into the Forum, which is just up the road.  The lines for tickets at the Colosseum are ridiculously long, so go to the Forum first, where the line is never long, buy your tickets there, tour around the Forum, then go to the Colosseum, and you can go right into it, instead of waiting in line again.

 

I hope you'll post your photos!  Where are you going in Germany?  We still all miss it like crazy.  I can't believe we've been back int he the US for just over a year.  We want o go back!

 

Thanks for the tip.  Definitely use it next month when the in-laws come!  We are going to Stuttgart and Weisbaden (swim meets).  We're going to go to Dakau and a bakery/castle on the way to Stuttgart, then after the Weisbaden trip head to Rimestad (sp?) to meet up with some friends and do some more sight-seeing and visit some villages to see Christmas stuff.   We may go to Austria and do the VonTrapp thing...or we may save it for another time.  I keep praying we'll get to stay for 5 years...but we are living on borrowed time.  The clock for returning officially begun on 10/1...job postings are already going out.  So, it's a matter of when dh's group is relocated and we have to go home (cannot turn down a promotion to stay here...just can't). 

[Chris in VA]

I'm so glad you keep updating--it's fun to see Italy thru your eyes! You are a vivid writer and I appreciate your posts!

[Mom in High Heels]

 

Thanks for the tip.  Definitely use it next month when the in-laws come!  We are going to Stuttgart and Weisbaden (swim meets).  We're going to go to Dakau and a bakery/castle on the way to Stuttgart, then after the Weisbaden trip head to Rimestad (sp?) to meet up with some friends and do some more sight-seeing and visit some villages to see Christmas stuff.   We may go to Austria and do the VonTrapp thing...or we may save it for another time.  I keep praying we'll get to stay for 5 years...but we are living on borrowed time.  The clock for returning officially begun on 10/1...job postings are already going out.  So, it's a matter of when dh's group is relocated and we have to go home (cannot turn down a promotion to stay here...just can't). 

 

We lived in Wiesbaden!  Downtown is beautiful! If you can, stop in Heidelberg!  It's about 2 hours north of Stuttgart and an hour south of Wiesbaden.  It is hands down one of the most beautiful cities you will ever visit.  We lived there for 9 years, and both boys were born there.  The Hauptstrasse is incredible.