THE HOUSE

Zermatt!

2012-01-27T09:52:00.000-08:00

Panoramic view from Matterhorn Paradise (3,980 mt. - 13,057 ft) - it was FREEZING !!-

...and a clear sky in the night ...

Zoo

2012-01-09T06:26:00.001-08:00

Via Dell'Erba

2012-01-05T10:59:00.000-08:00

And here where it is: http://g.co/maps/2qu35

View Larger Map

A-HA!

2012-01-04T08:54:00.000-08:00

Fontana di Trevi

2012-01-02T07:33:00.001-08:00

....and Colosseo..and downtown.

HAPPY 2012 !!

2011-12-31T10:41:00.001-08:00

Scalextric a.k.a Polistyl ...

2011-12-26T11:06:00.000-08:00

Who's around my age knows what I am talking about.... (Thanks to Barbara!). And also 2 pics from Piazza Navona, on top of the historical "merry go round":

Santa First

2011-12-21T12:46:00.001-08:00

Santa pays his first (of many) visit...

Rudolph

2011-12-16T12:23:00.001-08:00

Xmas Tree!

2011-11-27T08:07:00.001-08:00

This is the very first time he actually "interacts" with Xmas. So far he was clueless about what is Xmas Tree, Santaclaus etc. Now he KNOWS.

DNA!

2011-11-09T11:53:00.001-08:00

Bognor Regis - Butlins

2011-11-05T01:52:00.001-07:00

Few days with Tia and Jack

Robot Head

2011-10-28T11:28:00.001-07:00

A professional reputation down to the drain.... what a parent has to do to entertain his/her kid...

FRANK!

2011-10-17T01:09:00.000-07:00

Car Dealer

2011-10-10T03:24:00.000-07:00

....would you ever buy a used car from a guy with this look on his face?

Wild Ride

2011-10-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

Geek show...hem...Romics. HE wasn't so thrilled by Startroopers and friends. R2D2 was his size, so probably more interesting for Sean.

I wish I had skull and bones t-shirt as well....

Come on me Bro!

2011-09-30T06:03:00.001-07:00

"Next in line please !" .....

Finally he's using his bike!

2011-09-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday he saw another kid passing by our gate and he took his bybicle and he was on it for almost 1 hour. First time ever.

School Bus Day!

2011-09-08T02:51:00.001-07:00

From now on, our commute will be different...

New School - First day

2011-09-05T01:23:00.001-07:00

He was totally fine. He really needs to be with other kids.

He is so proud of his backpack....

And check the uniform!

I Hate American Airlines.

2011-09-02T19:55:00.000-07:00

Rome-Chicago, was ok. 10 hours, Sean behaved.

But when we've tried to get on Chicago-Omaha flight, Sean was probably too tired and he had the first fit (of many).

The good thing was that EVERYBODY at O'Hare Airport let us jump each possible line...a kid screaming, yelling and kicking is not something you wanna have around especially when meticulous controls are inn act at INS custom lines, Security checks, etc.

So we were able to jump and go fairly quick. Bad thing was that he was UNBEARABLE.

The stress he add-up and that transmits to us is too much, I understand now that probably he is not entirely ready for a long flight.

In addition to this first bad episode, once we were able to "negotiate" with him some time before sitting on what we thought at the time as our last flight, after the plane took off..half way through his route...we had to come back because of this on the way to Omaha:

http://www.ketv.com/news/28909690/detail.html#ixzz1VSyPble4

So...flight was cancelled and we had to stay one night in the outrageously expensive Hilton at O’Hare airport.

They even charge 17 bucks for internet connection!

American airlines told us that our options were: either wait for the very same flight but 24 hours later, or trying the "Stand By" painful card.

Anyway...the next day, early in the morning, we'd decided to try the "stand by" card.

6:30am we went back to the airport and luckily Dee and Sean were able to take the 8:20 flight to ...but not me :(.

Full of hope, but lacking of luck..I've been transferred stand by afterstand by until the infamous 24hours later flight.

While I'd spent 13 hours at O’Hare...

So..what do you do if you have to WAIT that long in a close space?

I've started walking around, eating like a pig junk food, reaching also the other terminals.

Well...apparently TSA (http://www.tsa.gov/) doesn't like that behaviour...walk is BAD...walk is DANGEROUS..so I've been stopped TWICE and body-searched for ...I don't exactly know...probably terrorists are spotted because they WALK?!

On the way back....ha!

Omaha-Chicago went ok. Smooth as water. But... while waiting to be boarded on Chicago-Rome, we've noticed that one of the engines was serviced. They've boarded everybody anyway, and while waiting for

departure we've been informed that some mechanical problems (leaking)

was occurring and 20 minutes were necessary to fix the issue...then 1 hour...then 2 hours...then.."Sorry guys, everybody out we are going to ask for a different plane IF there are any"

another 2 hours and the plane arrived, and happy as a bunch of clams we

took off.

after 6 hours, some poor guy decided that his hart had enough.

Hart attack and a doctor on the plane called the flight off.

We had to land in Dublin (Ireland), the guy had to be hospitalized immediately.

..Well...apparently there is a Federal Aviation's rule that after so many hours on duty, an airplane crew had to STOP FLYING no matter what.

So the captain called it a day and ...."see you tomorrow at 8 am".

NO WAY!

2 and half hours later we were able to reroute our tickets and our hopes to Lufthansa Dublin-Frankfurt-Rome.

Departure was ok...Dublin Airport is nothing special.

Do you have an idea how big is Frankfurt Airport?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankfurt_Airport

Here a map:

http://www.naco.nl/assets/images/Projects/EU/DE_FRA_Frankfurt_T3_Studies_Overview-credits-cropped.jpg

Well...we had 1 hour for:

Step down the plane (5 minutes)
take the shuttle to the docking station at gate B15 (5 minute)
Rise outside Terminal B (15 minutes walking fast)
PASS CUSTOM (5 minutes)
RE ENTER TERMINAL A TROUGH SECURITY CHECKING AGAIN (10 minutes)
step up and reaching ON TIME gate A40....

Frankfurt Airport's terminals are...long...VERY long. And we had 20 minutes to walk 1/4 back terminal B...elevators etc..and ALL THE WAY TILL ALMOST THE END OF TERMINAL A.

Oh..of course...WE DIDN'T HAVE THE TICKETS in ours hands! They told us in Dublin that "you have to ask for your boarding passes in Frankfurt, we cannot hand them to you now"....

So I blasted away from Dee and Sean trying to run as fast as I could with 1 backpack on my shoulders and a red trolley. I barely made it to the gate, got the tickets but Sean once again wasn't really "cooperative". we had to drag him on the plane and we barely made it (we were the last ones stepping on the plane with Sean yelling like this:

http://tinyurl.com/3hc2utm

but LOUDER...

I had to carry him on the plane like this:

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ACMA_Moschophoros.jpg

because he was kicking and punching so hard I couldn't hold him differently!

We eventually made it to Rome (Thank you Barbara for picking us up at the airport)....after ONLY 30 hours from our departure....

Some numbers:

19 - times we had to show our passports

6 - times we had to go trough security (shoes off etc..)

9 - planes we had to take

14 - boarding passes I'd collected (counting Stand Bys)

1600 - miles we drove (Around Grand Island and round trip to South Dakota)

Things we saw:

Nothing for hours...: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebraska_Sand_Hills

The infamous WALL DRUG store: http://walldrug.com/default.aspx

Bear County: http://www.bearcountryusa.com/

Mount Rushmore: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Rushmore

Deadwood,SD : http://www.cityofdeadwood.com/

Custer Park: http://gfp.sd.gov/state-parks/directory/custer/activities/drives.aspx

CARHENGE...Stonehenge made with...cars: http://www.carhenge.com/

Pics will follow soon...

Last day at School

2011-08-12T01:54:00.000-07:00

..ever. He is going to go the the new school with the "grown ups" in september.

We are going to miss our daily commute with him. :-(

Hair cut

2011-08-11T13:12:00.000-07:00

Figaro figaro fiiiiigaaarooo....

It takes 4 people to hold him down to a barber's chair...

Ping-Pong

2011-08-03T01:45:00.000-07:00

The balls went everywhere.

Lemon tree, Rules, Bat-Box

2011-07-25T10:11:00.001-07:00

Some Rules. Sean lately decided not to follow what the teachers told him to do. And even at home...things got out of control (so to speak). So we had to write down some basic rules togheter:

1) Do not talk about fight club....

2) ....and so on.... :-)

Easy Rider. With supervision...

Bax-Box. Hopefully within 1 year or 2 we should have a bat colonyunder our roof. Those guys will take care of mosquitos...

A new lemon tree for Sean.

Sean The Great

2011-07-12T01:29:00.001-07:00

Graduation 2011

2011-07-02T01:56:00.000-07:00

Surprise!

2011-06-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

John and Annie ! Deidre made me believe that we were supposed to have a dinner with Paola..instead...wow!

It was all combined since a month ago...and I didn't know a thing!

Sing along....

2011-06-22T00:33:00.000-07:00

It's fun to stay at the...

Sean Lightyear

2011-06-21T00:10:00.000-07:00

This is going on his room's wall right away!

Father's day

2011-06-20T04:53:00.001-07:00

I'm BACK!

2011-06-08T00:13:00.001-07:00

A-HA!

Dance Class Recital

2011-06-07T14:46:00.000-07:00

Sean's masterpiece

3 YEARS! - HAPPY B-DAY SEAN!

2011-06-04T12:49:00.000-07:00

Presents arrive...

2011-06-03T09:41:00.000-07:00

SEAN's SHACK!

He doesn't want get out of there!

Almost 3...not yet...

2011-06-02T13:07:00.001-07:00

Mozambique

2011-05-16T14:49:00.000-07:00

We are all alone in ROME!

Traveler

2011-05-10T05:46:00.000-07:00

That's the spirit I'm talking about!

Alghero (Sardinia)

2011-05-09T12:59:00.000-07:00

Long weekend (look how crowded...)

And here some info about the place: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alghero

Pop, goes the weasel!

2011-05-02T11:04:00.000-07:00

And here, about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_Goes_the_Weasel

The Wedding

2011-04-29T05:02:00.000-07:00

Damn! Italian Post system really sucks! We're recieved the invitation the very same morning of the wedding! Oh well..I'll send them some flowers....

Runny Babbit!

2011-04-24T01:12:00.000-07:00

...that's Easter Bunny Rabbit, he brought for Sean a big chicolate egg with surprise inside!. Happy Easter!

withdrawal symptoms

2011-04-10T02:48:00.000-07:00

I've sold the motorbike....I can't live without it!

Rider

2011-04-02T13:00:00.000-07:00

..he's a natural. You can tell it right away... First time ever on a MOTORCYCLE! I think we should buy one of those soon...

HA!

Beach time

2011-03-20T12:52:00.000-07:00

Father's Day

2011-03-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

This is Sean's present for his dad... 0 to 100 in 4...batteries.

Cookie Monster!

2011-03-15T12:53:00.001-07:00

I was "hunting" for the original version of this poster since 3-4 years ago. Unfortuantely the original version, used for the famous California Milk Processor Board ads campaign, it is considered a collectible item and there aren't any on sale for less then 175$ !! (http://www.mostlyposters.com/product.php?productID=101525) So...no way I was going to buy the real deal.

I did, instead, work a lot on photoshop and re-rendered a medium quality picture of the original poster. Then with the help of someone that...owed me a favour (so to speak..) ..I was able to have free access to a mega-plotter.

Here the poster for Sean! He was so happy when he saw this on his room's wall!

Südtiroler Cowboy

2011-03-07T13:27:00.000-08:00

Those lederhosen were bought by Dee's dad in 1971 (circa). So..we were looking for something that could fit Sean for his Mardi Gras party at the kindergarten and at the same time something that he wasn't going to rip off his body.

Those pants fit and he looks happy. Some additional off the track interpretation: the ITALIAN cowboy hat.

The butterflies factory

2011-02-16T13:31:00.000-08:00

Oh boy was he having fun with watercolors...

Seanmaker!

2011-02-05T09:27:00.000-08:00

1st time driving:

1 Meter!

2011-01-19T02:47:00.000-08:00

Sean is today 100cm tall. He's the tallest in the kindergarden.

(that is 3,29 Feet)

Writing his own name.

2011-01-12T13:16:00.001-08:00

I swear we didn't tell him how to do it. He'd just decided to copy our writing while we were doing it.

He did some "dry runs" following the shape of the letters with his finger fisrt for several times, then we gave him the pen expecting him to mess on the piece of paper.

Instead....

Bed Time Stories

2011-01-07T13:11:00.001-08:00

New Year - New Bed

2011-01-03T09:12:00.000-08:00

HO-HO-HO! Meeeerrry Xmas!

2010-12-25T03:26:00.000-08:00

Nobody was expecting the REAL Santa! .....Expecially Sean!

2nd Xmas Party 2010 - Kindergarden

2010-12-22T12:43:00.000-08:00

With Xmas Show!

1st Xmas party 2010

2010-12-22T00:55:00.001-08:00

We weren't able to get Santa's picture...

Dee B-day!

2010-12-05T07:50:00.001-08:00

We went to Andrea and Manu's new house. They literally just moved in. A quick celebration and we helped out a little.

Writing! - 2 and 1/2 today!

2010-12-04T06:58:00.000-08:00

We were playing last night with crayons. Sean was asking me to write down his name and I intentionally left the spot for the letter E blank.

He took the crayon and he finished his name writing down the missign letter by himself!

Thanksgiving 2010 dinner

2010-11-28T05:56:00.001-08:00

beside the Deidre's Delicious turkey: Chocolate-Hazelnuts ravioli on orange and butter sauce, Manuela's cinnamon pumpkin pie, baked yams and s'mores...hmmmmmmm!!!

Motorcycle Racing

2010-11-22T06:07:00.001-08:00

..it is a SERIOUS matter around here...

November 14th - 21 Celsius!

2010-11-14T04:52:00.000-08:00

This is all Global Warming's fault. But look at this! Just shirts and we're eating outside in the warm sun in NOVEMBER!

A special visit from Paris!

2010-11-10T13:52:00.001-08:00

Nearly 14 years and 4 kids later, Dee and Emma final met again (both looking, of course, exactly the same)! Despite some rainy weather, we had a really great time introducing our Parisian friends to Rome, and more importantly the giant container of NUTELLA!!! We've never seen such slim girls put away chocolate and proscuitto crudo like these 3! Sean picked up a bit of a French accent and now knows his numbers 1-10 in French too!!

The Infernetto Train Incident

2010-11-07T12:54:00.000-08:00

Well...that happens when you have the following combination:

Electric motor train running on your bed + Long hair + laying on the bed + playing with your son

We tried everything, I also opened the train, took pieces apart...to cut a long story short..we had TO CUT!

Downtown

2010-10-25T00:41:00.000-07:00

Hooligan!

2010-10-17T12:08:00.001-07:00

Architect: Urban Innovation 2010

2010-10-16T07:13:00.000-07:00

I am printing a poster out of this one. Those are Sean's idea for a better town :-)

Wine season!

2010-10-15T10:14:00.001-07:00

Well...as a truly ITALIAN, Sean today had an amazing experience at the kindergarden:

Winemaking time! or VENDEMMIA in Italian.

Hironically,I bet this thing will be a no-no in the USA...a 2 years old boy and the word WINE combined might sound crazy and...uuuuh...illegally insane!

But we are in ITALY and we all are raised without any taboos toward wines and similar. I had my first beer when I was 6 months old!

So all the kids brought their own grapes, and they stumped'em with their feet. Unfortunately I have no picture of the making itself...And here's Sean's results:

A UNIQUE bottle of NIDOLINO NOVELLO white DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita), 2010 production. that is a 125ml bottle (1/8 of a liter).

Scoooooooooooooooooterrrr!!!

2010-10-01T12:53:00.001-07:00

We gave it to him, he jumped on and scoooooot! We'd never shown him how to do it..so either he's a natural or he did it at school..I am going to ask.

After a night out and 6 hours horseback riding....

2010-09-28T07:32:00.000-07:00

..Sean is merciless...nothing no one stops him from WRESTLING TIME!

Ylva and Monica

2010-09-28T07:26:00.000-07:00

Nice friends from Sweden

Colosseum on fire!

2010-09-19T05:46:00.000-07:00

Not so impressive. But Sean had fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fHx8ycG69s

Isn't it the cutest picture ever?

2010-09-16T02:38:00.001-07:00

Hello ladies....

2010-09-15T05:31:00.000-07:00

He just decide to bring her hand, kiss her and walk all the way to school...

Same-same but different!

2010-09-12T23:38:00.000-07:00

Now and..1 and 1/2 years ago.

Long weekend in Sperlonga

2010-09-12T08:05:00.001-07:00

Here: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Sperlonga,+italy&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=54.137829,79.013672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Sperlonga+Latina,+Lazio,+Italy&ll=41.27042,13.40538&spn=0.012692,0.01929&t=h&z=16

We go QR!

2010-09-02T05:29:00.000-07:00

My self-bat-present

2010-08-27T03:10:00.000-07:00

This is what I've got for myself as my b-day present: A 1966 BATMOBILE DIE CAST 1/18!!! :

In the yard

2010-08-23T13:04:00.000-07:00

Nutella 5 Kg!

2010-08-10T23:57:00.001-07:00

This is THE biggest NUTELLA jar ever. It can only be found in specialized stores. It's a friend's present...hmmmmmm!!!

5 kg = 11 lbs !!!

Twinkle Twinkle and ABC

2010-08-01T12:14:00.000-07:00

Got it on video:

My Cubicle....

2010-07-30T00:31:00.000-07:00

This is Bruno'w workplace.

"500" is back!

2010-07-21T14:33:00.001-07:00

Just driven back home. The engine sounds like a symphony...
Sean was so happy to see the 500 back home. He didn't want to get down the driver seat anymore.

New Jersey -Pennsilvanya

2010-07-18T14:18:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July!!!

2010-07-03T15:40:00.001-07:00

Graduation and Play

2010-06-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

Last day at school and Sean's graduation. They did a little play and Sean was dressed like AN ASS..hem..sorry..A DONKEY.

Goodbye Rocking Chair!

2010-06-21T14:56:00.000-07:00

After 2 years with us, the rocking chair borrowed from Bruno & Luciano goes back to its place. Sean loved to drink his milk on it, but now he's too big and he wants to sit by himself. Not to mention that his room is getting bigger without the chair around.
That chair has an amazing story behind. Almost 200 Years Old..Bruno knows all the story. They wanted a pic with Sean on it, so..here you go.

WORLD CUP HERE I AM!

2010-06-16T00:22:00.001-07:00

Sunday

2010-06-13T23:17:00.000-07:00

HA! (Doesn't he look like Sean?)

2010-06-11T08:27:00.000-07:00

SUNSURFER!

2010-06-11T05:55:00.000-07:00

Hot hot hot!

Slowly...coming back to life.

2010-06-07T13:14:00.000-07:00

It's getting there....

Best. Shoes.Ever.

2010-06-06T09:01:00.000-07:00

I wish they had my size!

2 YEARS!!!!!!!!

2010-06-04T00:42:00.000-07:00

Just the beginning of a WEEKEND LONG celebration! I'll post several pics... School's party and Romy&Jade's house party for Sean...the US crowd gave him a Baseball's glove as a present!

a video: Something I hope he'll remember in 35-40 years from now...

Helping an English old lady

2010-06-03T06:01:00.000-07:00

That is bizzarre...I've helped this English old lady crossing the street and she insisted she wanted to thank me in this weird way...a medal?!? World is crazy!

Welcome back Mommy!

2010-05-30T10:05:00.001-07:00

..and a real "gym locker hog"...all the open ones are made for walking in....

All by myself!

2010-05-26T14:13:00.000-07:00

See that? The arrow is pointing to Accra, Ghana's capital. Deidre is there now and as you can see Mommy's hart is visiting the blog! :-)
Mommy, we both miss you! Come back soon!

Hillbilly

2010-05-23T13:33:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah...

Amatriciana

2010-05-23T00:39:00.000-07:00

1- Thinly slice the onion and cut the bacon into pieces of about 7mm thickness. Discard the seeds of the chilli and chop finely.

2- Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and fry the bacon on a low heat. Once the bacon starts to become slightly crispy on the edges, add the onion and chilli.

3- Cook on a low heat until the onions start to caramelise. (POINT: At least 15mins)

4- Add the chopped tomatoes (possibly adding half a glass of red wine) and leave the sauce to thicken on a low to medium heat for 15-20mins.

5- Season with a little salt, black pepper and dash of stock cube.

Pour over cooked pasta and serve with chopped parsley and grated parmesan...hmmm...yummy!

Viva Las Vegas!

2010-05-20T04:43:00.001-07:00

...and PAELLA!