all in a day

Sometimes I crack up at my life. For instance- today by 1 PM I had

1-been to french class where of course I spoke french and as much english as I could get my neighbors to speak:)

2-Gone to the car dealership because this morning I wanted to check my oil but the hood would not open. SO I went to the dealership to see what I was doing wrong-YES i did try reading the french manual first but it just said to do what I was trying. The problem was NOT me-but a loose cable so the nice french belgian checked my oil for me:)

3-went to the grocery store where I got to speak the little Flemish I know(thank you and I would like to pay with credit please:))

and then back to my place- yes 3 languages in 1 morning-

only in Belgium where not only can they not choose a language but we also hold the record for longest time without a government! GO BELGIUM!!

Italian adventures

There are many moments in my life when I step back and have to tell myself- "this is my life!!" Some of those moments are in the best of times and some not:)

As far as best of times go- Since November I have been to Italy not once but TWICE!! ridiculous-I know!! considering I had not been since my "european adventure" of 1999 it is pretty impressive:)

Trip 1-In november I went with my amazing friend Kate who was living in Spain at the time and wanted to visit Rome before she moved back to the states. We stayed in amazing apartment right around the corner from the Colosseum. It was so much fun to walk around Rome and eat lots of pizza and Gelato with one of my dearest friends. We met lots of fun people, heard opera being sung outside the Pantheon, took illegal pictures:), and mastered the art of public transport in Rome-it's impressive believe me:)

a picture in the colosseum looking out towards the Roman Forum-amazing history!

in the Roman forum-I actually learned how to use this type of fountain by watching Eat, Pray, Love- at least i learned something:)

My favorite outfits of the trip- really -do they have to make the Swiss guard look like clowns?

Trip #2- For my birthday back in October my 2 dearest friends in Brussels gave me an amazing gift. They planned an adventure for us to Italy in january-figuring we would need an escape from the dreary belgium weather! We flew to Pisa and then stayed in acute little Tuscan town at the top of a hairpin turn mountain road. We built fires every night and walked around fairly deserted italian villages during the day. These ladies are amazing and I am so blessed to have them in my life. We chatted and chatted, made s'mores in our fireplace at night and ate breakfast on the rooftop terrace.

IN pisa taking the obligatory-"it's gonna fall without me" picture

Fiona, me and Sarah in Pisa

Eating on the rooftop- it was sunny- but COLD!! hey coming from Belgium we will do anything for some sun!

In one of our tuscan villages:)

Thanks ladies for giving me the best present ever-TIME with you in an incredible setting!