Bambino Balent

We're Back With a New Blog!

2008-02-07T18:57:00.000+01:00

Arrivederci Bambino Balent blog!
Come on over and visit us at our new blog...
Balent Times

Arrivederci Sicilia

2008-01-10T21:31:00.000+01:00

Our tribe has spoken. After five years and four months on the island, we've been voted off Survivor Sicily. Tune in next season for Survivor South Carolina... A whole new adventure!

12 Hours Before Our Flight Takes Off

2008-01-10T21:18:00.000+01:00

And Paolo gets into some poisonous mushrooms at the pet potty area outside the Navy Lodge. Paolo had explosive diarrhea, was foaming at the mouth and breathing heavy. Mom called Meagan in hysterics and Meagan rushed Mom and Paolo to the emergency vet in Motta (the same vet that saved Paolo's life when he was hit by the car!). We really thought we were going to lose him... again! Paolo is on an IV drip in the hotel room and should be feeling better in the morning... just in time to be put in a kennel that will go in the baggage compartment on three separate flights that will eventually get us all to Charleston after 26 hours of traveling. UGH! Poor Paolo!

Ella

2008-01-10T20:58:00.000+01:00

Today I had my final lunch/playdate with Ella. After lunch we went to the park and she once again shamelessly hit on me. I keep telling her that I'm not ready for a serious relationship. I warn her that I don't want to break her heart but really it was my heart that was breaking when I said good bye.

Dinner, Beer and Pool

2008-01-10T20:53:00.000+01:00

Last night we had dinner and drinks with Meagan at Days Inn Pub across the street from the military base. It's an Irish pub with excellent bruscetta and decent pasta. It's actually the restaurant my parents ate dinner the first night they arrived in Sicily so it was only appropriate to eat our final Italian dinner there as well. After dinner Meagan and I played pool until we were told no babies or beer allowed on the pool tables!

Bina & Antonio

2008-01-09T10:30:00.000+01:00

Last night we had a farewell dinner at Bina and Nino's house. Bina made homemade sciaciatta, pizza and cipolinas. It was delicious comfort food and just what we needed as the countdown to our departure from Sicily is just two days away now.

Today I spent the whole day at Bina and Antonio's house. As predicted, it was very emotional saying good bye to them. It wouldn't be exaggerating to say that it was excruciating to bid farewell to the people who helped raise me. I'm crying as I type this so I think I should stop here as I am at the community center and people are starting to stare!

Epiphany

2008-01-06T10:42:00.001+01:00

Today is Epiphany, the Italian holiday that marks the end of the holiday season. On this day, Befana, the good witch brings candy to all the good boys and girls. This morning I woke up at Bina's house and had candy for breakfast and then my parents took me to see Befana and she gave me more candy. I wasn't afraid of Befana and didn't freak out when I sat on her lap. She is much prettier than Santa! It's been rainy and cold in Sicily for the past couple of weeks. Mom says that she's glad that the weather is crappy right now because it makes it easier to say good-bye to Sicily, but today the weather was gorgeous and we felt compelled to take one last trip up Mt Etna. It was the perfect day for such a trip.

When we reached the top of the volcano, we collected some lava rocks to take a little piece of Sicily back to America with us. Of course we asked the volcano God for permission first. We don't want any bad luck for taking without her approval.

Following Sicilian tradition, we made a little snowman and placed it on the hood of our car to watch it melt on the drive back down the mountain. We named the snowman Gufo which means owl in Italian. As we descended into warmer temperatures, Gufo lost his head and then slowly melted into a puddle.

Happy Birthday Dada!

2008-01-06T10:29:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was Dad's 36th birthday so we celebrated the best we could for a family living out of suitcases in a hotel room. After we ate our "fancy" cakes, my parents went downtown Catania to celebrate Dad's special day with Meagan and Chuck and I got to spend the night at Bina's casa.

Sir Thomas The Tank Engine

2008-01-04T09:35:00.001+01:00

Santa brought me a Thomas The Tank Engine DVD for Christmas and since we've checked into the Navy Lodge, I have not stopped watching the DVD over and over and over again. I am completely obsessed with choo choos right now. Thomas is slowly driving my parents INSANE with his "buffer up and share" song. They can't stop humming the catchy little tune and if given the chance they would love to strangle that cheeky little engine!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-03T10:10:00.000+01:00

Mom came down with a nasty cold on New Year's Eve, so we were forced to cancel our party plans with Meagan and Chuck and stay in the hotel room so Mom could sip tea and eat chicken noodle soup. Mom was in bed and in a NyQuil coma by 10 o'clock. It was a really wild night! On New Year's Day Mom felt a little better so we met Meagan and Chuck at Applebees for a little post celebration. We didn't party like rock stars and we didn't set ourselves on fire lighting off fireworks like Uncle P.J. but we did wear our party hats and we did embarress Chuck by repeatedly blowing our party horns. Happy New Year! May 2008 bring you lots of happiness!

Bye Bye Big Yellow House

2007-12-30T10:51:00.000+01:00

The movers came and carefully wrapped all of our belongings in bubble wrap, boxed it up and placed the boxes into giant wooden crates. The wooden crates will go on a boat over the Atlantic Ocean and will arrive in Charleston in 45 to 60 days. Right now, we're staying at the Navy Lodge on base until our departure on the 11th. Although it's a little cramped in a hotel room with 2 adults, a toddler and 2 dogs, it's pretty fun and it marks the beginning of our new adventure.

Buon Natale da Sicilia

2007-12-25T11:46:00.000+01:00

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love, The Balents

Christmas Day

2007-12-25T11:45:00.001+01:00

It's orange season in Sicily so for Christmas breakfast, I made fresh squeezed orange juice and used up every orange in the house. Dad cooked ham & cheese omelets, bacon and toast and Mom sat on her butt and fueled up on Dunkin Donuts coffee (she has it shipped here!). Since we move into a hotel tomorrow morning, my parents decided it was just too much to decorate and put up a tree when the movers are coming tomorrow to take all of our stuff away. Imagine my surprise this morning when I found that Santa brought us a little wooden tree and surrounded it with gifts.

I'm crazy about anything with wheels so I was super psyched to get a lot of cool cars, trucks and motorcycles from Bina, my Mimi and Papi and my cousins from Florida.

Santa gave me a portable DVD player along with this funny t-shirt for the LONG airplane ride to Charleston, South Carolina...

It was a nice Christmas. Now we have to get packing. It's finally time for the big move—YIKES!

Christmas Eve

2007-12-24T22:56:00.000+01:00

The rain kept us cooped up in the house all weekend so today Mom and I HAD to get out of the house before we drove each other CRAZY. We visited Dad at work, we checked out the last minute sales at the Navy Exchange and then we went to Piazza Pizza for lunch. After lunch we ate lollipops, worked on our skee ball skills and rode the merry-go-round until we ran out of quarters. It wasn't our idea of a traditional Christmas Eve but it was still a good one.

We're Not Dreaming Of A White Christmas

2007-12-22T17:57:00.000+01:00

but we're hoping for a dry one. It's been rainy and windy with temps in the 60's here in Sicily. We try not to complain too much since we know we're better off than those being pummeled with snow and freezing temps in the Northeast of America... Burrr! We hope you have plenty of spiked eggnog and a roaring fire to keep you warm through the holidays.

Joyeux Noël Meagan

2007-12-21T20:50:00.000+01:00

We had an early Christmas celebration with Meagan last night because she won’t be here on Christmas day—the brat is ditching us for a romantic holiday in Paris (insert gag sound) with her husband. Meagan did however bring me the most amazing gift ever, a Radio Flyer trike/chopper, and thus her absence on Christmas day is forgiven. Tis the season! I can’t quite reach the pedals, but that doesn’t stop me from spending every waking moment on this bad boy.

I’ve known Meagan since I was an infant. She has witnessed many of my milestones in person (Also via this blog! She is quite possibly Bambino Balent’s #1 fan!). Meagan likes to swing me around until I’m dizzy and she tickles me into hysterics. I love Meagan! Being stationed overseas, our friends become our family. Meagan is our family. She is my aunt, my mother’s sister. Meagan works at the same travel office where my mom used to work but that’s not what brought them together. It was their love of dogs (Meagan’s dog Jack and my dog Paolo are total B.F.F) that sparked their friendship. And their friendship grew as they learned they had so much more in common… Tap-dancing-Irish-beer-drinking-jazz-hand-buffoons! Meagan not only makes us laugh but also is someone we can always count on. We’re going to miss you most of all, Meagan. We wish you a Joyeux Noël in Paris. Hurry back to Sicily so we can share some more good times before our departure from the island. Tick tock tick tock we leave in 20 days!

Christmas Party At Ella's

2007-12-17T17:00:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I went to Ella's house for our regular scheduled Monday morning play date, but this play date was anything but regular. Ella and I built and decorated a gingerbread house together and exchanged gifts while our moms ~~chugged~~ sipped mimosas.

Ella got me a Cabbage Patch Baby Doll named Leo Xavier to help bring out my nurturing side and I got Ella a Little People School Bus to help man her up a little. Of course I wanted to play with the school bus and Ella wanted to play with the doll. Aside from the sippy cup fight (I always want what Ella is drinking!) and a couple of toy fights, it was a cheerful morning. We are officially in the Christmas spirit!

The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

2007-12-15T16:41:00.000+01:00

One reindeer holiday Baby Gap sweater= $30.00
Four cups of coffee and one apple juice while you wait in a 2 hour line to see Santa= $10.00
Completely freaking out when you sit on Santa's lap= PRICELESS!

What You Talkin' Bout Willis?

2007-12-14T23:41:00.000+01:00

This doubles as my "Gimme a kiss" face or my "I smell a fart" face.

Those Last Few Moments Before Bedtime...

2007-12-14T23:38:00.000+01:00

are filled with roaring laughter when my dad tickles me while shouting, "Zizzer! Zazzer! Zoo!"

What's Cookin?

2007-12-14T23:32:00.000+01:00

This is my latest discovery. The oven door can also be used as a trampoline! Can anyone recommend a good anti-anxiety medication (besides whiskey) for my Mom?

A Few Of My Least Favorite Things

2007-12-12T22:22:00.000+01:00

Lately we've been reflecting on all the things we'll miss about Sicily. There are of course many things we won't miss about Sicily. Here are just a few...We won't miss the mountains of trash scattered along the roadside. During our time in Sicily, we've had the privilege to be invited into many Sicilian homes, each of them immaculately clean and impeccably tidy. So naturally, we are completely baffled by the trash dumped along the country roads and the litter filled streets of Sicily.

We will not miss the INSANE driving and CHAOTIC Sicilian roads. We've seriously been lucky enough to only have been in three car accidents and totaled only one car during our five years in Sicily. Finally, we absolutely will not miss the horrifying stray animal problem that reduces my Mom to tears on a weekly basis. It is gut wrenching!

Bow Wow Wow Yippie Yo Yippee Yay

2007-12-10T11:58:00.000+01:00

My Mimi gave me this stuffed dog for Valentine's Day last year when I was visiting her in Florida. I never really paid any attention to it or any stuffed animal for that matter until a few months ago when I named him Bow Bow. Now I sleep with Bow Bow, give Bow Bow kisses and demand that my parents give Bow Bow kisses at bedtime. My Mom couldn't be more thrilled that I chose a DOG to be my favorite stuffed animal!

Baa Baa

2007-12-09T20:16:00.000+01:00

Coming up front Motta road this afternoon we saw this flock of sheep in a pasture with the Motta Castle off in the distance. We'll miss this beautiful view and we'll even miss the flocks of sheep that can be a real pain in the rear when the sheep herder and his flock slowly cross the roads whenever we're in a hurry.

Pasta Alla Norma

2007-12-09T20:14:00.000+01:00

On Friday, we went to Pizzeria Donna Fortunata in Motta for dinner. Dad has picked up pizza from here several times, but we've never sat inside for dinner. What a shame we just discovered this little gem with only a few weeks left in Sicily. Most restaurants in Sicily are kid friendly but this place was ridiculous! The cook took me into the kitchen and showed me how pizza is made and he even let me knead some dough. The waitress encouraged my parents to let me run around so they could enjoy their dinner. And the owner chased me around and kept teasing to steal my toy cars. In addition to the fantastic atmosphere, the food was delicious. I had the Pasta Alla Norma, which is a typical Sicilian pasta dish with eggplant and tomato sauce. My parents both got pizza, which of course was great because it's pretty difficult for an Italian to screw up pizza (except for that burnt pea pizza- Auntie Cherly Lee Ski, Aunt Carrie and Aunt Hilde all know what I'm talking about!). The best thing about Pizzeria Donna Fortunata is that they actually have Guinness and several German beers on draft! I'm not kidding! Why is it that we discover such beauty too late?

18-Month-Old Well Baby Check Up

2007-12-07T07:55:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I went to see the doctor for a check up. I'm 35 ½ inches long and I weigh 28lbs 14ozs. I'm in the 95th percentile for height and 80th percentile for weight. The doctor said that I was long and lean! I'm healthy except for an aggravating case of molluscum (wart like bumps) all over my torso, which I've had since I was an infant. I've seen several doctors regarding the molluscum and they all say that it's not a problem and it will eventually go away in a few months. However, in my case I've had these bumps for over a year and they are spreading so the doctor said he'll do a little research and get back to my parents about a treatment before the bumps move up to my face... ick!

A Really Good Weekend

2007-12-02T22:12:00.000+01:00

On Friday evening, we went to the winter festival on base. The gym was filled with inflatable slides, obstacle courses and bouncy houses. My face had a permanent smile the whole time...

On Saturday I hung out with Bina so my parents could go out on a date. While my parents enjoyed a quiet meal at an Indian restuarant, I ate pasta with Bina and Antonio. After dinner, Bina made me a little bed on her couch and I fell asleep in front of the televisione...

Sunday morning we went to Catania for coffee and people watching...

While we waited for the restaurants to open for lunch, I played in the Catania park...

We went to Sicilia in Bocca for lunch. We like the rustic atmosphere of this place and we love the swordfish involtini, which is uniquely prepared with raisins and pine nuts...

After lunch we took a three hour nap (the longest and most wonderful nap ever!) and then we headed into base to see the Harlem Globetrotters. Last week my dad stood in line for 45 minutes for tickets (he's the best dad ever!) and 10 minutes into the show I refused to sit still so we left...

I'm more of a hands on kind of guy, so I was happier shooting hoops in the lobby arcade instead...

It was a really good weekend.

The Farewells Have Begun

2007-11-25T08:16:00.000+01:00

On Saturday evening, we went to Piano D'Api, the part of Acireale where my parents lived for their first three years in Sicily. We swung by our old landlord's house to say hello and good bye. We only intended for a quick visit but ended up staying for over an hour chatting and playing with their gatto (cat). Luciana, Rossana, Alfio and Pepe are very kind people and are always so accommodating. Within minutes of being in their home, Luciana and Rossana were feeding me cookies and ice cream. My dad mentioned that I loved pasta so on a whim Luciana whipped up a batch of farfalline with olive oil and parmesan cheese and both her and Rossana fed it to me and I gobbled it down like I've never eaten before.

After my impromptu pasta dinner, we went to Josie's house to bid farewell. Josie and her husband Salvatore, who sadly died last year, lived next door to my parents and immediately took my parents in as family. My parents spent every holiday, birthday and Sunday family dinner with Josie and her family. Despite the language barrier, we always laugh a lot with this family. We will miss Nora, Tony, Josie, Alessio & Emanuele and hope they will visit us in America.

Before heading home, we stopped by our old neighborhood pizza place Antica Pizzeria and got the Focacce Diavola, which is baked Italian bread with tomato, mozzarella cheese, spicy salami, oregano, olive oil and pepper tucked inside—oh, so delicious.

Sicilian Thanksgiving

2007-11-23T16:46:00.000+01:00

In honor of our last Thanksgiving in Sicily, we stuffed the turkey with pasta. Il tacchino con la pasta è la sciocchezza! Last year for my first Thanksgiving, I tried mashed up solid food for the first time. Now I'm eating big boy food and mastering the fork and spoon. Check out my grip and serious concentration. We invited our Italian friends, Rita and Luciano, over for Thanksgiving dinner to experience our American holiday. My dad has been promising to make Luciano my Mimi's French Onion Soup so in addition to all the traditional Thanksgiving dishes, we also indulged in rich, cheesy soup. We stuffed ourselves silly! It was a day of good food and good company. We have so much to be thankful for... especially stretchy pants!

Casa Di Bina

2007-11-21T10:18:00.000+01:00

I've been going to Bina's house since I was three months old and Bina has become like a nonna (grandmother) to me. She is a nurturer, a kind person and a silly lady all rolled into one beautiful package with a smile that lights up a room. I adore her.

This morning Mom worked up the courage and told Bina that we're definitely leaving the first week of January. Bina said the news brought her heart much pain and both Mom and Bina broke down and cried. We will never find another babysitter like Bina. She will be missed dearly.

I Want A Massage Right Now!

2007-11-19T20:15:00.000+01:00

This morning I took off my shirt and handed my Mom some moisturizer. If I could speak in full sentences I would have said, "Concentrate mostly on my shoulders, put some muscle into it and don't try to skimp. I paid you for a full 60 minutes woman!"

Playdates With Ella & Aja

2007-11-19T20:13:00.001+01:00

Lately, we can't get enough of Ella and Aja. We meet them on Tuesdays and Thursdays at base to workout and then have lunch at Applebees and now we've incorporated Monday morning playtime at their house. I'm going to miss playing with Ella (and pushing her around!) and Mom is going to miss chatting and laughing with Aja. It's going to be tough saying arrivederci to these two ladies!

Relocating to America!

2007-11-18T18:23:00.000+01:00

My father signed a new contract and needs to report to his new job by January 20th. We'll be moving ourselves, our household and two dogs over the Atlantic the first week of January. After ten years of living in Europe, we're excited (and a little nervous!) for the change. I'm not going to tell you where we are going, but I will give you a hint...

Bee Movie

2007-11-18T18:21:00.000+01:00

This afternoon I went to see the Bee Movie. This is the first time my parents have taken me to a movie since I was an infant. You might remember when they took me to see my first movie, The Da Vinci Code. They also took me to see Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, but I slept through those movies. Today was the first movie they took me to see for my enjoyment. I actually lasted longer than my parents expected- a whole 40 minutes! That was enough time for me to suck down a Capri-Sun orange juice, empty a bag of popcorn on the floor, laugh at the big screen whenever the big kids laughed, and then have a major meltdown because my parents wouldn't let me run around in the aisles. Not too bad for an 18-month-old!

Blogging

2007-11-17T19:18:00.000+01:00

It's how I keep my far away (and close by) family and friends up to date with my life happenings. Technology is sweet!

Un Amico Nuovo

2007-11-13T13:03:00.000+01:00

This morning we went to the hospital to meet a brand new friend. Our friends Leah & Michael had a baby boy Sunday evening. His name is Andrew and he's absolutely beautiful. When Mom held the baby she just couldn't believe I was once that small. Andrew already has his own blog, Call Me Frankie. Welcome to the world little guy.

Sunday Morning Snuggle

2007-11-11T12:15:00.000+01:00

There are moments when Mom feels like ripping her hair out because it seems like all she does all day is defuse one temper tantrum after another and then there are moments when we snuggle in our pajamas and I fall asleep on her lap that remind her that it's all worth it.

Pavlov's Dog

2007-11-07T09:30:00.000+01:00

This is the view from our kitchen balcony. Please refrain from being so jealous of our beautiful Italian panorama. I bet you thought we sipped cappuccinos overlooking something similar to the landscape in Under the Tuscan Sun? Well, this is reality! But our view is not what this post is about. If you look closely, you’ll see a German Shepard behind the truck. She is the guard dog for the medal works business next door. When we first moved into this apartment in Motta, she was mean and skinny. After two years of our leftovers, she has become fat and happy. She has even inherited Bruco and Paolo's old beds and toys. Similar to Pavlov's dogs, she has become conditioned. When we open our kitchen door, she runs to the fence, wags her tail and looks up to the sky for raining food. In a few months when we move away from here, the leftovers will stop and we know she will miss the food storms and we will miss her salivating face.

Sicilian Oil Spill Disaster of 2007

2007-11-07T09:21:00.000+01:00

All of Bina and Antonio's olive oil is GONE—Poof! There has been a terrible accident. The olive oil was stored in a 50 liter barrel in their backyard. Antonio tied a plastic baggie around the nozzle to prevent any dripping. Not a drop to be wasted... The stuff is like liquid gold! Well, their upstairs tenant's dog, Gedda, detected something delicious inside the baggie and bit at the bag forcing the nozzle to open and drain a whole year's worth of olive oil onto the ground! Bina called it "brutto giorno" (an ugly day) and Antonio looked like he wanted to cry. All that back-breaking work of picking olives and hauling them to the press was wasted. Poor Bina and Antonio!

Olive Oil You Too

2007-11-04T15:13:00.000+01:00

Antonio and Bina have several olive trees in their backyard and have spent the past couple of days picking all the ripe olives. This afternoon they invited us to come along to watch their olives be pressed into olive oil.

The giant yellow bin pictured below holds Bina and Antonio's olives. It cost them €30 (about $43) to process the whole batch and that should produce enough fresh olive oil to last their family one year. Italians are very serious about their olive oil. They use it in everything!

The process seemed simple: First the olives go through a machine that shakes off the leaves and stems. Second, the olives get washed. Then the olives get smashed and finally the smashed olives go through a press turning it into delicious olive oil. I'm sure it's a little more complicated than that, but that's all of Bina's Italian that we could understand.

Did you know that if you mouth the words "olive juice" it looks the same as mouthing the words "I love you"? Many years ago when my parents first starting dating, they both worked as bartenders at a bar called Hubb’s in Orlando. One night at work, Mom thought it would be clever to mouth "olive juice" to my Dad to see his reaction. If he didn’t say "I love you" back then she could be all like, "I was just saying olive juice!" Anyway, Mom screwed it up and actually mouthed "olive oil". Dad had known about this foolish "olive juice" ploy but hadn't had anyone try it on him since the 6th grade. He knew what she was up to and responded, "You are such a dork! Olive oil you too!" And the rest is history...

I See Dead People—Seriously!

2007-11-02T11:00:00.000+01:00

Today is "Giorno dei Morti" or "Day of the Dead" in Italy. Today, Italians remember their dead ancestors and visit their graves with flowers and candles. In the morning, children find presents brought to them by the dead. This tradition is a way of keeping the memory of the dead alive. Rather than fear death, Italians embrace the circle of life by passing on the connection with their ancestors to their children. This morning I found a new toy car from my ancestors—Grazie. Amo le macchina di gioco! When we were in Palermo a few weeks ago, we visited the Capuchin catacombs. Since today is the "Day of the Dead", I thought it would be a fitting day to tell you about it. Although morbid, it was fascinating to see more than 8,000 mummified bodies on display dating as far back as 1599. Many of the corpses still had hair and skin and some of them had jaws wide open as if they were screaming. It was pretty creepy. Perhaps the creepiest is the corpse of 2-year-old Rosalia, who died in 1920. She still appears so lifelike that locals call her "Sleeping Beauty". Rosalia's incredible preservation was done by a doctor who used a secret process which he never divulged before his death.

Tanti Auguri Bruco!

2007-11-01T20:03:00.000+01:00

Bruco turned 4 years old today. That means he’s 28 in dog years! We surprised him with a T-bone steak dinner to celebrate and I gave him the best gift of all by calling him by his name. I really called him “Coco”, but that’s close enough! There is of course a story of how Bruco became a Balent and of course I’m going to tell you about it… When something terrible happens in life, my Mom says to wait a year later and then take a step back from the situation and find the good that came out of it. It never fails; she can always find something good as a result. Bruco is the “good”. Three years ago, my parents lost a dog here in Sicily. I don’t mean “lost” as in the euphemism for death; I mean literally “lost” a dog. While my parents were in London for a weekend, their Italian Greyhound Remi ran away from the person who was watching her. My parents searched day and night, hung thousands of flyers, placed ads in newspapers and on television but days turned into months and months turned into years and Remi never came home. Not knowing the fate of Remi was devastating to my parents. My Mom took it especially hard and swore her heart would never recover.

About a year after Remi’s disappearance, my parents got an email from a woman who saw the missing dog picture in the newspaper. The woman said she had an Italian Greyhound that looked similar to Remi except it was a boy. She could no longer care for the dog and wanted my parents to take him. Bruco did look a lot like Remi but he was nothing like Remi. Remi was timid and Bruco was aggressive. He snapped at people, he barked insistently, and he growled often. My parents had their reservations, but adopted Bruco because they felt that he needed them just as much as they needed him. With lots of love, patience and training, my parents broke that tough exterior and found a loyal friend and a great little snuggler. Bruco could never replace Remi but his love has helped my parents' hearts heal. Happy Birthday Bruco! Thank you for finding us. You are our “good”.

I Like Mine With Lots Of Butter

2007-10-29T08:00:00.000+01:00

Although Halloween is not a custom in Italy, my Italian babysitter insisted that I stop by her house first on the way to the "Americani Festa" at Sigonella. Bina and Antonio gave me lots of sweets and trapped me in their giant lobster net. After basking in Bina and Antonio's abbracci (hugs) and baci (kisses), I headed to the Navy base for Autumn Fest. The evening started out with Trunk-or-Treat. The cars lined up with trunks full of candy and the ghouls and goblins (and lobsters) went trunk to trunk for goodies. Last year, I was too little to participate in Trunk-or-Treat but this year I was big enough to get a whole plastic pumpkin full of candy.

Come on, did you really think Paolo and Bruco were going to get away without Mom tormenting them this holiday season?...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Carny Rides Make Me Happy

2007-10-29T07:50:00.000+01:00

After Trunk-or-Treat, I rode my first carnival ride over and over and over again. Each time with a different lady partner. It was the best night of my life! The next day, we returned to Autumn Fest just so I could ride the "Truck" with my favorite girl, Ella. I love you Ella and I promise to never bite you again... as long as you don't aggravate me.

How Bout Them Red Sox?

2007-10-29T07:00:00.000+01:00

The Boston Red Sox won game four by a score of 4-3 winning the 2007 World Series in a four game sweep of the Colorado Rockies.

In Italy, the game didn't come on until 2AM so unfortunately we didn't get to watch the game, but we ran to the computer first thing this morning and joyfully found that the Boston Red Sox rocked!

My parents had to bribe me with a lollipop to get me to show some team spirit by wearing this Boston Red Sox cap. Maybe my refusal to wear the hat means that I'll grow up to be a Yankees fan? Kidding! I really detest "all" hats. I scared you for a second huh?

A Memorable Birthday For Mom

2007-10-24T21:43:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was Mom's 34th birthday. She woke to find this thoughtful card from me— It's all Dad's fault. He's the one that helped pick it out for me. Perhaps he should have actually read the card before purchasing it?! At least it made Mom laugh! Mom chose takeout sushi for her birthday dinner celebration, but before Dad and I left to go pick it up, I took a face dive off the bed warranting a visit to the emergency room. This was my third trip to the ER in my short life (remember the face dive I took off the couch and then there was the Pine Sol drinking incident!). Thankfully, everything turned out to be okay. I just had a badly bruised forehead, bloody nose and a fat lip. We got home from the ER so late that we decided to call it a night and celebrate Mom's birthday the following evening. Fast forward 24 hours. Mom finally got that delicious Oxidiana takeout sushi she wanted. Mmm Mmm so good! And a cheesecake with so many candles it almost burnt the house down.

Happy Birthday Mom. May all your wishes come true! How about no more cards claiming her son is a woman and no more ER visits!

The Weekend Getaway We Couldn't Refuse!

2007-10-22T08:31:00.000+01:00

Before leaving Sicily, one of the things we wanted to do was visit all the Godfather scene locations on the island. Last weekend we began our Godfather/Mafia adventure by dusting off the Godfather trilogy box set and watching (and sleeping through) all 545 minutes of classic cinema while feasting on antipasti, primi piatti, secondi piatti, and dolci with our friend Meagan and her dogs, Jack and Ana. Once our memories were refreshed and our "wise guy" nicknames were assigned, we ventured out on our ambitious Mafioso experience...

First stop was Savoca, a rustic village on the east side of Sicily not too far from Taormina. Most of the Godfather Sicily scenes were shot in this town as a stand in for the town of Corleone, which was too developed for the time period that the Godfather was shot. We walked around the tiny town trying to find the acclaimed Bar Vitelli where Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) asked Apollonia's father to take his daughter out on an escorted date in Godfather I. We passed by the famous bar several times without notice because of its overgrown green disguise. Once we finally discovered the bar under all those leaves, we sat in the spot where the scene was shot next to the same beaded doorway curtains. From Chiesa di Santa Lucia, where Michael and Apollonia were later married, we strolled down the same road as the wedding party to the end of the road where they celebrated the marriage at Bar Vitelli. The road is now paved as a gift to the people of Savoca from the production.

Our next stop was Palermo, which is on the other side of the island. We followed Meagan and her two dogs. Thanks to no traffic and Meagan's superb GPS system, we reached Palermo in just a little over two hours. We did a little sight seeing before going to the Teatro Massimo where the Godfather's daughter was shot dead on the steps in Godfather III. Pictured below is Mary Corleone (Sophia Coppola) after being shot on the opera house steps. And yup you guessed it, in the picture beside her is my mom reenacting the climactic ending of the Godfather III. She is so embarrassing!

After our day in Palermo, we drove an hour south to the notorious town of Corleone. Corleone is not only famous because of the fictional mafia character Godfather Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), but also as the birthplace of several "real" mafia characters- Michele Navarra, Luciano Leggio, Leoluca Bagarella, and Salvatore Riina. It is said that the Mafia still dominates the local community. Just recently was the arrest in 2006 of Bernardo Provenzano "Boss of Bosses", who had been in hiding for more than 40 years.

After a quick drive through the town, we settled in our simple rooms at the Casa Mia Agriturismo and Principe di Corleone Winery. Bringing four dogs turned out to be more of a hassle than you can imagine. There was a pack of guard dogs at the b&b/winery that weren't too happy having canine guests! We had envisioned taking the dogs for walks through the vineyards, but unfortunately Bruco, Paolo, Jack and Ana remained locked up in the rooms the entire time. Luckily we were only spending the night! That evening we had a nice Sicilian dinner and a mini wine tasting. The next morning the owner took us to the winery out back and showed us how the wine was made.

After our morning cappuccinos, we headed into the town of Corleone for lunch and photographs. We found a nice little Trattoria that had amazing pistachio pasta. After lunch, it got incredibly windy and the temperature seemed to be dropping rapidly so we didn't stay too long to take pictures- just long enough to get this goofy shot of all the dog's butts!

We got on the road back to Catania just in time for a huge hail storm. It was a stressful ride home but we survived and lived to blog about our Godfather/Mafia adventure!

Caption Contest Winners!

2007-10-19T09:02:00.000+01:00

Thank you to all that participated in our little contest. We had a lot of fun reading your captions. It was so difficult choosing a winner that we decided to do a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. The 1st place winner will receive a big box of Sicilian goodies and the 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive a little box of Sicilian goodies (Mom's just trying to get rid of some crap around the house- kidding!).

The winners are...

#1 Cheryl Lee Ski with...
#2 Crazy Isabelle with...#3 The Swindells with...

Congratulations and thanks again for participating!

Piaggio Ape

2007-10-17T13:52:00.000+01:00

The Ape (pronounced "ah-pay") is a common sight in Sicily where its compact size allows it to navigate narrow streets and park in tight spots. Next month when I turn 18 months old, I can get my Italian learner's permit to drive an Ape. Stay tuned for more adventures!

Caught On Camera

2007-10-16T19:29:00.000+01:00

This is one of my naughty moments caught on camera. Lately, I've been getting a real kick out of tormenting Paolo & Bruco—no pun intended. Not tormenting in a "I'm displaying antisocial behavior and going to be a serial killer when I grow up" sick kind of way, but more like a "let's see what kind of reaction I can get out of the dogs" playful kind of way. My parents beg me to stop teasing the dogs because dogs sometimes bite when they feel threatened and if one of them decides to bite me, my parents will be forced to make a decision that they do not want to make. They warn me, "Currier, we really don't want to have to get rid of you!"

Caption This Photo Contest!

2007-10-10T21:04:00.000+01:00

The person who submits the funniest caption to this picture will receive a big box of Sicilian goodies. Submit your clever caption under comments. The winner will be chosen on October 18th, 2007. Good Luck!

And The Winners Are...

2007-10-10T20:08:00.000+01:00

I was nominated by my Mimi to do the Balent family 2007 Christmas present name drawing. Here are the results...
Papi—Robbie
Mimi—Coleen
Michael—Kathy
Tracy—Carrie
Christopher—Tracy
Kathy—Papi
Carrie—Beth
Hilde—Christopher
Robbie—Trent
Beth—Michael
Trent—Mimi
Coleen—Hilde
Jonathan—Nyah
Austin—Kellie
Amanda—Jonathan
Kellie—Clayton
Clayton—Currier
Nyah—Amanda
Currier—Austin
Get Shopping! Only 75 days til Christmas, but who's counting!

Truck! Truck! Truck!

2007-10-10T10:00:00.000+01:00

Mom dropped me off at the Child Development Center on base for an hour yesterday so she could try a Pilate's class. The timing couldn't have been more perfect! As we pulled in the parking lot of the daycare center, the firemen were there with their big truck. As part of Fire Prevention Week, all the kids got fireman hats and we took turns sitting in the driver's seat of the firetruck. It was awesome!

A Tribute to Nana

2007-10-09T08:00:00.000+01:00

It was 25 years ago today that my grandmother, Diane Kent Currier, lost her long battle with cancer. She is the grandmother that I will never get to know, but will undoubtedly be a part of my life because my mother will talk of her often. Although my grandmother died when my mother was a young girl, she is the greatest influence in her life and the strongest woman my mother will ever know. Today we celebrate the life of this incredible woman I call Nana. We are certain she is with us. Her love fills our hearts.

About That Checkbook

2007-10-07T15:14:00.000+01:00

Dear Mom,
Stop wasting your time looking for your checkbook. Come on, it’s been like three months since its disappearance. Seriously, do you really think it’s going to miraculously turn up after all this time? Stop complaining that you have no idea what could have happened to it because I know. I threw it in the trash. You threw a stinky, poopy diaper on top of it and then you immediately took the trash out curbside. So there you have it! Please stop bitching and moaning that you can’t balance your checkbook without the register. IT IS THE YEAR 2007... Do people even use check registers anymore? Order some check balancing software, join the 21st century and shut up already!
Love your darling son,
Currier

Bye Bye Bubba

2007-10-02T12:55:00.000+01:00

Hello. My name is Currier and I'm a ~~baby~~ big boy now. It's been three days since my last bottle. ~~My mean parents~~ I decided it was best to go cold turkey after a few months of unsuccessful weaning. Arrivederci bottiglia! Oh, how I will miss you so!

Cinque Anni In Sicilia

2007-09-29T17:37:00.000+01:00

It was five years ago today that we moved to Sicily. We celebrated our survival with a giant Sicilian lunch in Aci Trezza, a small fishing village with a quaint marina dotted with colorful boats.

We had the typical three course meal at Ristorante "Il Cove Marino" and somehow still had room for a small gelato from a gelateria on the stroll back to the car. Our bellies were bursting!

911 What Is Your Emergency?

2007-09-28T09:15:00.000+01:00

I was pretty fussy in the car seat the other day so Mom handed me her cellphone to ~~shut me up~~ keep me occupied while she was driving home from base. Wait a minute, let me back up... she actually has a "loaner" cellphone from Motorola while "her" cellphone is being fixed because the last time she let me play with her cellphone I smashed the face plate. You would think she would have learned her lesson not to let me play with a cellphone, but no. This time I managed to get into the phonebook and dial 911. Mom was clandestinely impressed. The Sigonella 911 operator, however, was not!

Finger Painting

2007-09-25T20:37:00.000+01:00

This went nothing like Mom had planned. No masterpiece created... just a massive mess!

"Ciao Bimbo!"

2007-09-23T10:01:00.000+01:00

There's a little boy, Stefano, who lives in the apartment complex across from ours. Our balconies overlook each other. When we eat dinner on our balcony, Stefano shouts down, “Ciao Bimbo!” Stefano is not calling my Mom a floozy; he’s talking to me. “Bimbo” means baby or child in Italian.

Festa di Compleanno

2007-09-19T20:32:00.000+01:00

The boy who lives upstairs from us, Alessandro, turned three years old today so his parents rented a little hall in Motta for the celebration. There were about 20 kids, snacks, pizza, cake, loud music, 100 balloons and lots of plastic balls= a blast for me and a headache for my parents! This was our first time at an Italian child's birthday party. We were completely surprised that all of the gifts that Alessandro joyfully opened were clothes. We were the only ones to get him a toy... a John Deere tractor. We think he liked the American tradition better!

It's Hilarious...

2007-09-16T17:09:00.000+01:00

when I spray my mom in the face with the shower head, but when she does it to me...

it's not so hilarious.

In The Dog House—Literally!

2007-09-08T17:03:00.000+01:00

It got eerily quiet in the house so my parents assumed I was up to no good in the other room but they just found me hanging out in Paolo's house having a little drinkie.

"No" and Other Favorite Words

2007-09-07T13:58:00.000+01:00

In the past month my vocabulary has exploded and it seems like everyday I spit out a new word that amazes my parents. My all time favorite word is "no". I even put my hands on my hips, flash the evil eye and say it just as sternly as Mom. A few other words I like to say are: ball, book, dog, hot, cookie, go, cat, clock, duck, truck, car, balloon, and apple. I also speak a little Italian: no, si, grazie, cane, pallone, pesce, acqua, e ballo.

I don’t mean to brag or anything, but I also know a little sign language. As a matter of fact just this morning I signed for "more" by screaming at the top of my lungs and hitting my mother on the back of her legs with a spatula. I guess she didn't understand that translates to "give me another pickle" because I didn’t get another pickle; I got the evil eye and the cold shoulder!

Say Cheese!

2007-09-06T16:06:00.000+01:00

Doesn't this look like one of those aweful pictures of a terrified hostage holding a newspaper to prove his existence on a certain date? I'm proving my existence with this provolone cheese packaged on September 6th 2007. My captors love cheese.

Our Favorite Gelato

2007-09-05T20:24:00.000+01:00

Sometimes after dinner we take a walk to a gelateria for a gelato. Gelato is Italian ice cream and it's one of the many things we will miss about Sicily.

Our favorite flavor is Zuppa Inglese which translates to "English Soup" and we're not sure what the heck that is all about, but it tastes like frozen eggnog with chocolate chips—so divine!

Yesterday She Was Very Angry But Today...

2007-09-05T20:11:00.000+01:00

she couldn't be lovelier. Apparently we missed the BIG eruption last night. Our very talented friend, Nicole, got some fantastic shots of the show. Check out the spectacular images of Mt Etna erupting on her website.

Happy Labor Day!

2007-09-03T13:58:00.000+01:00

Santo Stefano Di Camastra and Cefalu

2007-09-03T13:21:00.000+01:00

Yesterday we drove to Santo Stefano Di Camastra to do a little ceramic shopping. The town is known mostly for the production of bright red ceramics, but we were on a mission for something else...

Mom finally got that antique terra cotta pot she's been eyeing.

After a morning of shopping (BORING!), we headed to Cefalu for a seafood lunch along the waterfront. To avoid the pesky paparazzi, I tried going incognito with big sunglasses but that crazy woman with the camera follows me around everywhere I go!

After lunch we sat on the rocks and let the waves crash over us.

Shopping In Taormina

2007-09-03T12:54:00.000+01:00

Last weekend we went to Taormina to buy a couple of pieces of artwork from Nenad Babic. Babic is originally from Sokolac, Yugoslavia and now lives and works in Florence, Italy. His work is colorful, unique and a little bizarre. We love it! He spends his summers in Taormina, Sicily selling his artwork in the main piazza. Every summer for the past five years we have bought several pieces of his artwork. I guess you could say we are collectors.

Mom and Dad almost bought me one of these Sicilian puppets until they realized that their swords are actually little knives!

Adding To My Resume...

2007-09-03T12:40:00.000+01:00

* Hardly leaves fingerprints when tasting cupcakes.

Wish You Were Here!

2007-09-02T06:48:00.000+01:00

I'm having so much fun I peed my pants!

Who Ya With?

2007-08-25T18:03:00.000+01:00

La Festa Grande in Onore Di Sant'Anastasia

2007-08-25T12:11:00.000+01:00

There’s another festival in our city this week in honor of the patron saint of Motta—Saint Anastasia. This festival is only held every four years and it's serious. They kicked off the celebration at o’dark thirty on Thursday morning by lighting off fireworks in order to wake the saint, as well as me, my parents and the dogs. The fireworks have not stopped since! On Thursday evening we went to a historical parade with people wearing period costumes, waving flags and carrying banners. I didn’t enjoy my first parade as much as my parents had envisioned. I wanted to get down and run around and it was way too crowded so they wouldn’t let me so I got pretty cranky and we had to leave early. I was much happier running around on the side streets clapping my hands to the beat of the marching bands.

Due to my dislike of parades, we decided it was best to miss the religious procession last night and another one again this evening featuring the statue of St. Anastasia. Instead, Mom and I strolled the uphill cobblestone streets early this morning before the madness begins and went to "Chiesa Madre", the main church in Motta...

To get a glimpse of Saint Anastasia and have a moment with her all to ourselves...

Close, But No Cigar

2007-08-25T11:23:00.000+01:00

There's a coffee bar in Motta that serves special hazelnut coffee that is absolutely delicious. It's no Dunkin Donuts iced coffee, but it's pretty darn good.

"Omigod, caffè alla nocciola è delizioso!"

Annual Motta Medieval Festival

2007-08-25T11:03:00.000+01:00

The city we live in hosted a medieval festival last week. We strolled up to the castle after dinner to listen to music, watch the re-enactors, eat gelato, and people watch. It reminded my parents of the festivals in Germany except there was no beer chugging and public drunkenness. Oh well, it was still a good time!

Trattoria Dal Buongustaio

2007-08-25T10:24:00.000+01:00

Buongustaio is our favorite restaurant in Motta. Maybe it's because the owner is Italian and his wife is German so there is a blend of cultures on the menu that you don't find in other restaurants in Sicily.

Maybe it's because they serve tasty bruscetta, fresh insalata caprese, mouthwatering mussels marinara, and a savory salmon with creamy peppercorn sauce.

Or maybe its just because they serve children's pasta cut up into tiny little bite size pieces and serve it on a Tweety plate. We love Buongustaio!

Buon Compleanno Paolo!

2007-08-22T19:23:00.000+01:00

Since we really don't know Paolo's actual birthday, we celebrate the day my parents found him. Yesterday we threw Paolo a little surprise party for his unofficial birthday. I really think he was genuinely surprised!

It was two years ago that my parents found Paolo all skin and bones with his mouth taped shut in a boat yard near Portopalo. Salvatore, the boat rental guy, said that Paolo had been hit by a truck and had a broken jaw, hence the mouth taped shut. Mom cried and cried until Dad agreed to take the puppy home. The vet warned my parents that Paolo might not make it through the week. Paolo had an advanced respiratory infection and his nose was so badly deformed that he could barely breathe, but with lots of love and special care (two operations, nebulizer treatments and countless medications—Dad calls Paolo the €1000 free dog!) here he is two years later! We couldn't imagine our family without this little guy. Happy birthday sweet Paolo!

My First Sleepover

2007-08-17T08:36:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was my parents 10 year anniversary so I spent the whole day and night at Bina's house so my parents could relax and celebrate. Since moving back to America and buying a house are on their list of things to do this year, they opted to celebrate with an inexpensive picnic on the beach and a night alone at home. The plan was to sleep in the next morning but of course Mom was wide awake at 6AM and Dad shortly after—go figure!

Ten Years!

2007-08-16T17:45:00.000+01:00

Dear Trent,
Could it be that ten years have passed since we stood in the warm Plum Island sand and promised to always love and respect each other come rain or come shine? Is it possible that an entire decade slipped through our fingers? It seems like it was just yesterday and yet we have grown so much in these ten years that it seems like a lifetime ago. In a decade—we called Germany home, we lived the military life, we explored dozens of countries, we got in a lot of debt, we made friends, we lost touch with friends, we worked hard, we finished degrees, we adopted a dog, we missed our families, we lost loved ones, we called Italy home, we lived the civilian life, we worked hard, we got out of debt, we lost a dog, we adopted two more dogs, we missed our families, we traveled to exotic places, we made more friends, we lost some friends, we shared a dream—And now we have this beautiful baby boy who reminds us everyday how lucky we are to have found each other. Thank you for sharing a dream, making that dream come true and giving me ten wonderful years. I look forward to many more decades with you!
Love, Coleen

Fever!

2007-08-14T08:41:00.000+01:00

I haven't been feeling too good for the past couple of days and yesterday my temperature spiked to 103.1! Mom and Dad took me to the doctor and he couldn't find anything wrong with me. The doctor chalked it up to teething and sent me home with Tylenol to help keep my temperature down and Happy Heiny for my very red bottom.

Welcome Home Daddy!

2007-08-05T20:00:00.000+01:00

My dad had to work in Bahrain for a couple of weeks and I missed him a lot. Mom wishes she got the camera out in time to capture my excited face when Dad came walking out of the gate at the airport—it was priceless! She did capture Dad's happy face. Dad claims I've grown and changed so much in just three weeks.

Teething—Big Time!

2007-08-04T15:53:00.000+01:00

"Adam and Eve had many advantages, but principal one was, that they escaped teething." ~Mark Twain This smile is a rarity these days. My molars are coming in and I’ve been an absolute bear lately. The pediatrician told my mom to hold on tight because the molars make for a wild ride—Whee!

In case you were wondering...

2007-07-31T09:49:00.000+01:00

how Mom was handling her three boys on her own while Dad is in Bahrain for a couple of weeks... We're doing just fine even if the Italians in our neighborhood look at us like the circus just strolled into town!

The Park

2007-07-31T09:44:00.000+01:00

Mom has been taking me to the park a lot lately to wear me out. The spiral slide is my favorite and after about an hour of constant sliding, I do get pretty sleepy and then she gets a little break.

The Grocery Getter

2007-07-31T09:39:00.000+01:00

The little car-carts at the commisary make grocery shopping fun!

Ghiaccioli To The Rescue

2007-07-26T18:58:00.000+01:00

It's been a serious "scorchaahh" in Sicily for the past couple of days and there's no sign of relief any time soon. The temperature has been hovering around 110°. If you have never experienced this kind of heat, it's like blow drying your hair in a sauna. Bina introduced me to ghiaccioli (freeze pops) for a little relief from the swelter and I'm completely addicted. Bruco and Paolo dig them too!

Skee Ball

2007-07-22T21:54:00.000+01:00

Mom is teaching me how to play skee ball. She claims to have been the Salisbury Beach Skee Ball Champion. I think she left her mad skills back in the 80's with her big hair, blue eyeshadow, acid-washed jeans and Flashdance sweatshirt.

If Babies Ruled The World...

2007-07-17T09:59:00.000+01:00

Swim Lessons Continued

2007-07-15T13:34:00.001+01:00

This morning at swim class, we put on life jackets and floated on our backs. As you can see, I hated it!

I did like the BIG water slide after class though. This makes going to class worth it!

I only flinch when I first hit the water then I laugh and want to go down the slide again and again.

Baby Einstein

2007-07-13T06:05:00.000+01:00

Mom doesn't feel as guilty when she parks my butt in front of the television with a video if it has the word "developmental" attached to it. The people in the Baby Einstein marketing department are the real Einsteins here!

Granita Festa Alla Casa del Bina

2007-07-07T04:54:00.000+01:00

Yesterday afternoon, Bina had a granita party at her house. The gelato/granita man, Orazio, came to her house and served his homemade frozen goodness. Orazio's truck is a familiar sight in my town. He drives his delicious truck up and down the steep hills of Motta blowing his whistle and stopping for anyone who waves him down for a refreshing treat. It's hard to describe granita, but I guess it's comparable to Italian ice in the States, but of course it's different and so much tastier in its native land. Granita is only made in the summer months and it's what Italians typically eat for breakfast. Yup, ice cream for breakfast! You should visit my friend Nicole's blog Pinch My Salt to read the post she wrote about this wonderful Italian summer treat.

I got mezzo limone e fragola (1/2 lemon and 1/2 strawberry). Granita is commonly served along side a brioche (buttery roll). Although the granita and brioche are supposed to be savored together, I gobbled down my granita first and then I nibbled at my brioche.

These are the children that Bina babysits—not all at once (although she’s so good with children she probably could handle all of us at once). Some of the children have already moved back to the States and have come back to Sicily for a visit because they missed Bina so much! Some are leaving in a few weeks and some in a few months (Me). At any rate, we all got together to celebrate this wonderful woman who has been like a Nonna to us. And what better way to celebrate than with granita!

Disneyland Visits Sigonella

2007-07-06T08:40:00.000+01:00

As part of the on-going 4th of July celebration, the Sigonella basketball court was filled with all sorts of inflatable fun. You would think it was Disneyland with all the excitement it brought to the military kids stationed here.

My favorite was the BIG slide. I wanted to go down it again and again and again and again...!

Happy 4th of July

2007-07-04T21:14:00.000+01:00

Oh say can you see, by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hailed, at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets red glare, The bombs bursting in air,Gave proof through the night, that our flag was still there. Oh say does that star spangled banner yet wave.Or the land of the free, and the home of the brave?...

To celebrate America's birthday, we went to my buddy Dawson's house in Motta for a BBQ. We lit sparklers and watched the Sigonella fireworks from his balcony. It was a good time until it was past our bedtime and Dawson and I started fighting over toys.

First Dental Check Up

2007-07-03T21:10:00.000+01:00

This morning I went to my first dentist appointment. The dentist just took a quick peek at my teeth and swiped them with a fluoride treatment. She said my teeth looked healthy and she discovered my 1st primary molars are coming in, which explains why I've been a little cranky lately. I got a Eeyore sticker and a toy car for being such a good patient.

Camping In Portopalo

2007-07-02T09:43:00.000+01:00

We went camping in Portopalo this weekend with our friends Meagan, Chuck, their dog Jack, and the dog they're babysitting Mocha. On the way to Portopalo, we stopped in Brucoli to get a picture of Bruco in the Sicilian port for which he is named. Our dog Paolo is also named after a Sicilian port and it's also where my parents found him as a skinny little puppy who had been hit by a car two years ago this August. We headed back to Paolo's old territory for the weekend and stayed at Camping Residence Capo Passero. The campsite is located right on the ocean, was impeccably clean and the owners were friendly and kind enough to let us stay there with four dogs! This was our first time camping and we really roughed it... Okay, really... we didn't rough it at all! The Italians that slept in this tent roughed it! We rented two bungalows on the campground. The bungalows had fully equipped kitchens and bathrooms and my Mom and Meagan packed every imaginable modern convenience such as fans, ipods and four coolers stocked with enough food and beer to feed an army of drunks. Meagan cooked breakfast burritos for breakfast, Mom served chicken and pasta salad for lunch and Dad grilled cheeseburgers for dinner.

By the end of the weekend, I'm sure we were known to all the campers as the loud Americans in the corner bungalows with four crazy dogs and a silly baby...

The campground had a pool and a playground but we spent most of our time at the beach playing in the sand and ocean. I was the happiest kid on the beach...

The dogs and I can't wait to go camping again!

Heat Wave Continued

2007-06-27T11:03:00.000+01:00

It's a "wicked scorchaahh", as Mom would say with her Boston accent. I spend every waking moment submerged in acqua just trying to cool off.

Trying to Keep Cool

2007-06-25T09:44:00.000+01:00

Over the weekend, the temperature got as high as 108°. If we weren't at the pool on base, I was cooling off in the tub or the sink.

Water Filled Weekend

2007-06-25T09:15:00.001+01:00

I started swim lessons over the weekend. Class is held every Saturday and Sunday morning, so there is no sleeping in on the weekends for us. After class, we hung out at the pool playing, splashing, sliding and practicing what I learned at swim class.

The First Rule of Fight Club Is...

2007-06-21T21:16:00.000+01:00

You Do Not Talk About Fight Club!