I don’t think I will ever be able to put into words what this trip was for me. Italy took my breath away with its beauty, colors, history, people, food… it was really the perfect setting for the most romantic trip that I will probably ever have. Getting to know this amazing country on the arm of my love while we celebrated our 10 year anniversary was beyond all my expectations. We had no agenda for our days, we did not ask for recommendations for restaurants or even were worried too much about visiting landmarks. We felt Italy our way. We ate amazing food everyday in some hole in the walls you wouldn’t believe, we drank wine and spritz while people watching on piazzas, we laughed while lost and soaked by the rain in Tuscany… so many more memories that I have to write because almost 4000 pictures were not enough to register every memory, I don’t want to forget. This trip has humbled me in so many ways. Seeing the world and learning other cultures is fascinating. We, from America, are so young. When I see myself standing inside of a building that is about 1300 year old, it might sound silly but I just can’t stop wondering and want to travel back in time and learn how life was. The details, the wood carving, it was so rich, so beautiful and so extremely meticulous. I think God lives in Tuscany. There is no picture that will ever make justice to that place, you just need to stand in front of that land to really understand the beauty, it goes inside of your soul. I could not hold my tears when I first realized I was there. The shades of green you see is almost unreal, it looks like a painting and if you are lucky to be there while the sun shows up and gives you blue skies with white fluffy clouds you might cry too.
Those were unforgettable days…
What a blessing this trip was, I will always cherish those days with Matt.
I can’t wait to go through all my photos and blog about each city we visited in Italy but, it might take a while, so for now, I will post these ones, just a glimpse of our days there.
Cheers to 10 years Matt and to 100 years more! I love you more than you can imagine.
Corniglia (Cinque Terre)
Corniglia from a distance
 
Vernazza (Cinque Terre)
Monterosso (Cinque Terre)
Pisa
Parma
Parma
Parmesan cheese anyone?
Bologna
Bologna
Bologna
Pienza, Tuscany
Pienza, Tuscany
Piazza Del Campo, Siena (Tuscany)
Siena
Siena’s Cathedrale di Santa Maria (was built between 1215 and 1263)
Montepulciano, Tuscany
Rome
Spanish Steps (Rome)
Streets of Rome
Pantheon, Rome
Pantheon
Piazza Navona
Positano
Positano
Positano
Venice
Venice
Venice
Venice
Venice
Venice
Gondola ride in Venice. Do not ever underestimate the amazing, relaxing and romantic hour you will spend there. And if you remember, take some prosecco with you! You will thank me for this tip!
We ended our trip with a surprise 7 hours in Paris, due to a France ATC strike. We had no problems with that, it was just a cherry on our cupcake.
All of these memories would not be possible without my in-laws that flew all the way from Indiana to be with Maya. For you mom and dad, a huge thank you from my heart. Thanks for this amazing gift you both gave to us. I love your son so much, he means the world to me!
♥
In a little over one month I will celebrate 10 years of a happy marriage with my Matt. I often say that but it is so true, I am one lucky girl to be able to build a beautiful life next to the man I chose. To celebrate, we are going on a honeymoon. Yep, I’m calling it a honeymoon instead of a 10 year anniversary trip, sounds much more exciting to me We are 3 weeks away from boarding an airplane to Italy to enjoy, from the beaches of Cinque Terre to driving around the rolling hills of Tuscany and drinking the best Italian wines…. and of course the food. Ah, the food! I even enrolled myself in a cooking class in Bologna. I am still having a hard time believing it, sounds like a dream to me. I have so much to thank to my in-laws that are flying all the way to California to be with Maya for us to enjoy this amazing trip. I know they can’t wait to be here with her and Maya is already crossing every day off her calendar, counting down the days until they arrive but really, I can never say thank you enough to them for this opportunity to enjoy alone time with my love while I have no worries about our little one being good, happy and safe. So, we are super excited over here and now the only stress is to fit all our belongings into two carry ons, not an easy task for me, we will see how that goes.
Anyways, getting away from our little ones can be very hard, especially when it’s not an emergency, it’s a choice you make but make time for your marriage, it is so important in so many ways even for them. Our kids love to see their parents connected, and happy. They feel it and that’s a win for everyone. It doesn’t need to be Italy, it can be a weekend getaway or a Sunday drive somewhere. The fact is that we need to have a nice meal with our partner without crayons on top of the table, or watching the lemonade cup not spill again or even listening all night to cute little voices wanting your attention the whole time.
So, at the end of the month I will be dating my husband somewhere under the Tuscan sun…
I hope we will find sunshine
♥
Time is flying and you are getting so big on me.
I love seeing you change and grow and become this little you that you are!
You are now in a phase that I can remember myself as a little girl. The kids in the neighborhood already knock our door “Can Maya play?” As much as it brings a smile to my face I feel you slipping out of my hands. You make me think about life so much. How much I have to enjoy life, you, your daddy and us together because I think about my mother all the time when I am outside watching you like a hawk while you play with your friends and don’t even notice my existence. My mom was just watching me too and look at me now. Time really flies.
I still remember me and my friends running around, playing tag and my mom calling me to come in for dinner, I still can find that little girl inside of me.
Being a mother is an amazing journey, being your mother is a very special gift God gave to me. You are the biggest blessing in my life.
You were meant to be mine. I was meant to be yours. I can’t even imagine my life without you and when I think about it I almost get sick.
Tonight, when I put you in bed, you asked me to sing a song to you and as I sang I was looking at your beautiful face and thought about all of this I just wrote.
I told you to enjoy being a kid, not to be in a hurry to grow up, I told you your daddy and I are your best friends and we will always, always be there for you.
I kissed you goodnight and you asked me
“Mama, when I have my kids can you babysit them for me and my husband to go to Europe?”
I broke down in tears.
That’s what I said to you:
“Honey, I will do whatever I can to help you. I will babysit my little grandbabies for you to have a healthy marriage. Thank you for understanding that mommy and daddy need their time alone, that we will miss you terribly but one day you will get it. Mommy is already having a hard time just to think I will be so far away from you. But we are lucky to have great parents that help us with that and also can’t wait to spend time alone with you. You are so special, so loved”
“Mama, will you cook your delicious food for them?”
I was a mess tonight, in front of you, you made me cry like a baby.
“Is that a happy cry, mama?”
You have my heart, my little girl.
♥
I will tell you what we did.
We walked all day long, exploring every single corner we could.
Drank the most delicious espressos, shared ice-cream at the Pier 39, watched the sea lions fight for their spots at the dock, walked up and down the hills and stairs throughout the city, ate amazing seafood and Italian food, walked more, people watched while sitting in charming cafes, drank jasmine tea at the Japanese tea garden, walked to Golden Gate Bridge, we laughed together and took tons of pictures.
This was a very spontaneous and last minute trip and it was so fun. On the way there we stopped in Santa Barbara for a little wine tasting and to pick up our wine shipment and on the way back we spent some time in Santa Cruz (what a cute city) and Paso Robles for again, wine tasting, if you are in the area you might as well right? Right!
San Francisco is such a great city. Love the food and the beauty of all the rolling hills and streets. I was so impressed by the amount of things and places we visited in just two days and the weather in April was just perfect!
So, here is what my camera captured for our memories…
Pier 39
Alcatraz
Coit Tower
We were back to Pier 39 for the sunset
Second day – Japanese Garden
We got some good luck kitties for us
Painted Ladies
The Golden Gate Bridge
We walked the Golden Gate – So fun!
I love San Fran!!!
♥
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Unbelievable!! Can’t wait to see more!