Life is good: Christmas in Italy and a little of Grandma's trip

This is kind of a random post trying to sum up our December. I really need to get our book printed for 2016 and wanted to make sure Christmas made it in. One weekend in December we went to a market in a town called Palmanova about an hour from our house. The town is still surrounded by a wall and the center was very cool. We had a great time exploring and enjoying some good food. Leo busted his lip on the front steps of the church but he was a trooper. I just love his bubble puppy hat!!

We got to see Babbo Natale while there. Quinn was excited, the other two were not very interested. He did not speak any English so we didn't get to share the wish list with him.

The kids loved these overpriced balloons. Leo's joy lasted about 5 minutes and then Spiderman flew off to fight crime. It was a rough day for little Leo.

I loved our Italian coffee pot, Nativity scene we bought at the market.

I was cracking up with our drive home and this dang horse.

Finley throws some really good tantrums lately. If she doesn't get her way, she goes nuts, so that has been a fun stage.

Many of our days after taking Q to school Leo, Fin and I head to our local Cafe. There is usually the same crowd every morning and they have been very welcoming to us. They help me with my Italian and LOVE the kids. Leo gets his soda, a brioche and usually a Kinder egg so that I can enjoy my cappuccino. Finley now requires a cup of schuima (foam) when we go to the cafe or she throws a fit. On this particular day, Leo was feeding his alligator part of his candy.

We took our barista some American Christmas cookies and a card since she has been so welcoming to our family. The next day we went to the cafe she had made the kids winter hats! I thought it was so sweet!!

A few days before Christmas, Dave was off work so we took an hour drive to Trieste to enjoy a little warmer weather and see the Miramare castle. We went to the little (and I mean LITTLE) aquarium that was there and the kids loved it. Then we headed to check out the castle. It was super warm, almost 68 degrees and we enjoyed walking along the coast up to the castle. The kids were taking their time and picking up rocks along the way and on the walk back we sang Christmas songs. It was a really great day.

The castle at night. We pretty much ran through the inside of the castle because we wanted to check out the sunset and the kids were over it but I know we will go back. Based on what we did see and the outside views, I think this is my favorite castle we have visited in Europe so far.

She was super happy because she got a princess sticker book at the castle gift shop (it is in Italian so I can't read it to her... yet!).

Passed out on the drive to dinner after a fun day of seeing fish and enjoying the castle.

We went to a great dinner spot when we got back near our house and then to a local pastry shop. We enjoyed coffee and a few sweets to finish the day. It has been really hard leaving Utah but we are working on making new memories and traditions here in Italy and that day was great!

Our Elf brought us a photo booth kit for Christmas eve and the kids had fun with it. We spent Christmas Eve hanging out and making food and then our friends, the Tolman's came over and we ate, decorated cookies and had a great time. I have no idea why I don't have any pictures of our evening!!

Reading Christmas books before Santa comes!!

This was our first Christmas in Italy. We have spent Christmas by ourselves in Utah the last three years so the only difference this year was the time difference when trying to call family. We had a great day opening gifts, eating donuts and taking breaks to play with toys. The weather was incredible so part of the day the kids played outside! This was something we are not used to for sure. The kids are such a great age and watching them opening presents was so fun.

Santa did pretty good this year and everybody was happy with their gifts.

Leo decided on Christmas Eve that he wanted a big tractor (and that was all!) for Christmas (even though he had asked for a bike since summer!) and Santa pulled through and brought a new red tractor....go Santa!! :)

I love this sequence of pictures and the big kids helping Finley open her gift. I also love their matching Pj's.

Quinn got the Monster High house she really wanted and Leo got a lot of trucks.

He also got a Spiderman bike with pedals.

These pictures are so great. I love him!

Donuts are all Finely needed for Christmas.

Our family Christmas selfie.

Playing outside in the leaves (that should be been raked up in October).

Finley checking out her new bike so she can keep up with the big kids this Spring.

The day after Christmas our friends from Germany, the Storchs, were passing through our area so they stopped to stay with us for a day. They have 5 kids and my kiddos loved having big kids here to play with them. We took them to check out Lake Barcis, to our favorite pizza place and then to see the castle in our town. It was a fun day and we were glad they were able to come see us. We look forward to going to see them in Germany.

A few days after Christmas we still had beautiful weather and daddy was off work so we headed to the park, it was a fun time had by all!

My friend Shannon got me cookie mix from our favorite cookie place in Utah. I literally cried a little I was so happy.

My mom came to visit us the week after Christmas and we were all SO EXCITED!! We surprised the kids and when we picked her up from the airport they literally just stared at her. Later Quinn said it was the best surprise ever. We spent her first weekend here in Florence and then went to Lucca and checked out the Leaning tower of Pisa. It was a great trip and I am so glad she was able to come over and see where we live and spend time together.

This was a really old pharmacy... I think maybe the oldest in Europe or in Italy. So Dave needed his picture in front of it.

We went and saw the statue of David. Quinn really liked that it had the same name as her dad and that a Ninja Turtle made it. :)

It was really quite impressive when you see it in person.

Quinn was so happy that Grandma was here and wanted pictures all the time.

Florence was a great town.

Getting Grandma gelatto and Italian coffee.

Finely warmed right up to Grandma and got lots of snuggles on this trip.

We drove to the walled city of Lucca on New Year's Eve and had a great day riding a bike around the wall and getting lost in the city.

Walking into the town.

We decided to take a ride in one of these things and it was the best idea, we had so much fun.

The weather was chilly but beautiful. The kids loved honking the horn.

Poor Dave was so tired and sweaty after biking us around the wall a few times.

While in the center of the city, my mom saw two little old ladies yelling to each other from across the way. I guess you don't need phones when you can just yell to your neighbor.

We ended up eating not so great fried food because we were hangry and having trouble finding a place to eat with it being New Year's Eve.

We left Lucca and headed to Pisa to check out the tower.

We were walking around a corner and wondering when we were going to get to the tower and then there it was! It was very beautiful all lit up against the night sky.

There was a really beautiful Church next to the tower also. I never realized there were other buildings near it because in pictures you only see the tower.