Reese's Baptism

Today was a special day. Reese was baptized at our church, First United Methodist Church, in front of family and friends. It was very special for me because as I stood there and looked down the VERY LONG row of family standing with us (we had 19 family members standing with us) I realized how very lucky we are to have such a strong family to support us. I know Reese will feel the love and support of our strong family for years to come and it brings tears to my eyes. It really impressed upon me the importance of family.

Reese, of course, did her part playing the cute baby. She actually made it through the entire service with only a few, random cries, mostly strategically placed during a prayer when everyone was quiet. She went to our preacher and let him carry her down the aisle while the congregation sang "Jesus Loves Me" and only cried a little when he placed the water on her head. It was a very special experience.

After the service, all our families came back to our house and we had a cook-out in the backyard. Colton was excited to show off his new outdoor kitchen he built this summer. All in all, it was a special day we will always remember.

XOXO,
Devin

La Bella Vita!!!

The beautiful life! Aagh, Italy. I think I am in love with you. Of all the places we mapped out on our European destination map for our July trip, I was most indifferent towards Italy. It, for me, was one of those places that is hyped up and I truly wondered if it could be that awesome. In one word...YES! I love Italy! Italy is a beautiful country, the food is amazing, the scenery is gorgeous, and the people are friendly. It was my favorite part of our trip. We spent some time in Venice, Florence, Sienna, Pisa, and Cinque Terra. I cannot wait to go back. Here is a quick recap of our trip. I will post more detailed recaps by country later when I have the patience to type and post pictures. (I still have not found that patience required for uploading pics to facebook...hmm).

July 22-29- Italy
Day One-Venice
**St. Mark's Square, gondola ride through the city, Colton attempted pasta with black ink squid sauce, and began consuming what would be copious amounts of wine throught the week

Days Two, Three, and Four- Florence & Sienna
**minor hiccup in getting the train, detour to Prato, Italy (which worked out since I teach about the Chinese fabric factories that have relocated there), Accademia to see David, Uffizi to see Botticelli, Da Vinci and company, Pitti Palace, Sienna for wine tasting class, Ponte Vecchio bridge, Santa Maria Novella church, lots of amazing pasta and we tried bistecca fiorentina (which Colton thought would not measure up to Texas beef but it was delicious!)

Days Five and Six- Cinque Terra
**Italian Riviera, Cinque Terra Hike (took six hours! hardest thing I have ever done), swam in the Mediterranean Sea, sun bathing, more amazing food (anchovie pizza and fresh pesto pasta)

Days Six, Seven, Eight, and Nine- Pisa, Munich
** quick stop in Pisa on the way to the airport to Munich, beergardens (our favorite was the Augustiner), Dachau, Glockenspiel, Englisch Gardens, Neuschwanstein Castle in Fussen, Hofbrauhaus (not that great)

Days Ten and Eleven- Amsterdam
**Van Gogh museum, Anne Frank house, lots of walking Amsterdam, Red Light district quick tour, sitting in cafes in the rain drinking hot chocolate

Days Twelve and Thirteen- London
** London Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Parliament and Big Ben, Westminster Abby, London Tower, Hyde Park, tour of Harrod's, pub food

Day Fourteen- Home Sweet Home

I will try to post more detailed accounts of each place for the random reader who cares to know more (like my mom) with pictures! The rest of summer passed by quickly. Colton and I were already dreaming up our next European vacation while sitting in cafes and biergartens across Europe. Colton believes he could live in Munich and we both agree a return to Italy is a must. Next up....maybe Prague and eastern Europe or France and Spain. Who knows?

In exciting news on the home front, Baby Street will be making his or her arrival April 25th, 2012! We are super excited and cannot wait to meet our little one!

Until next time, much love!
Devin