St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco), Venice, Italy!

Sorry for the crooked picture, I had to get it quick as this was a no picture area!

A must see in Venice!!!

Free admission to the Basilica, but I would pay the extra to go upstairs!  When you walk in before you go in the Basilica you can go up the stairs on the right side!  They only charged my husband and myself, the kids got in free!!!  If I am remembering correctly it was 5 euro per person.  Well worth it!!!

Another view of the outside!

A view of part of the ceiling!

This is amazing to me that almost all of the Basilica walls are Mosaic art!

More ceiling!!!

Second half of February update!!!

February 15th Daniel came down with a 24 hour bug, he was a trooper and re-cooperated very quickly!

Out for a walk even when Daniel wasn't back to 100%, he is my little trooper!

The 16th of February, Washington's birthday, we went to Venice to check out Carnival!  We wandered around checking out St. Mark's Basilica, we rode on the water bus for the first time and just had a great day!!!  More pictures to come...

Another day off of school! February 17th...

Busy making chocolate covered pretzels and more!

February 18th back to school for the kiddos and another missing tooth for Daniel!

The 19th of February was Hannah's last day of Cooking Club, she had a great time learning all kinds of cooking tips over the past four weeks!  No picture to share, but I am hoping I will have something from the school later on!  We also had a friend from church call up and let me know that she was making dinner for us!  That was a pleasant and unexpected surprise!  Amazing Asian food is all I am going to say!

100 days of school was the celebration on the 20th!  I was able to help out with an activity and hang out with Hannah for a bit, it always makes my day when I can help out at the school!  Daniel had a basketball game that night and Alyssa went to a sleepover at a friends house!

Love this picture!

Our little basketball player!!!

The 21st of February we celebrated Hannah's 8th birthday as a family!!!  We had pizza, cupcakes, and laser tag fun!!!

Love this one!

Laser tag was a blast, we can't wait to go again!

The 23rd Hannah had her final baton class along with a presentation!  I can't wait for her and Alyssa to participate in this again next year!  I love all the clubs Aviano Elementary offers for the kids!  Hannah will be starting Sport Stacking Club the middle of March!!!

My stylish child!!!

Daniel had another basketball game on the 27th and we ended the evening with some of our friends from church around a fire-pit roasting marshmallows and chatting!  It feels good to have more friends here in Italy, for awhile there I was starting to feel lonely, but life is good!

The last day of February, the 28th, Alyssa had a basketball game and basketball pictures as well!  After the game we decided to head up the mountain to go sledding again, one of our most favorite things to do in the winter months!!!

These three have had a great time hanging out together this season!

My basketball stars!!!

Fun in the snow!!!

Don't forget to check out my new blog, it is still in the making!  http://asimplelife4us.blogspot.it/  or even checkout and "like" my A Simple Life facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/asimplelife4us

We are making some life changes for our family by changing our eating habits and bring Young Living Essential oils into the mix!!!  Life is good!!!

Our trip to Palmanova, Italy!!! (February 14th, 2015)

Hanging out in the city center!

I love how this one turned out!!!

If you look behind the kids and I you can see of the two entrance/exits of the city!

Up on the city wall edge!

The kids by one of the entrances to the city!

Look it's Frankenstein!!!

A lot of different tunnels to explore outside the city!!!

This is how Bill and I spent our 11th Anniversary, checking out Palmanova the fortress city!!!

Palmanova, Italy the star-shaped fortress town!!!

This is by far one of the neatest cities we have been to, the best part was the walking paths around the outside of the city!

One of the two entrances to the city!

Tools that were used to make the city!

Another view from the center of the city!

Best part of our trip there the walking paths around the outside of the city!!!

Piancavallo (February 7th)

This is the most snow the kids have gotten to play in since we moved to Italy and it was tons of fun making new sledding paths.  It was a lot of work, but everyone had a great time!!!

Daniel even had a great time this time!!!

Check out the beautiful view!!!

First Half of February update!

I haven't had an update for a while, so I figured I would fill you all in.  We are all doing great!  Hannah started Cooking Club on the 29th of January and will continue this club for four weeks.  She is enjoying it very much along with Baton.  Alyssa took the NAEP test (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Assessment_of_Educational_Progress) on the 29th as well.

Hannah with her gnocchi she made at Cooking Club!

January 30th we had our first sleepover at our house in Italy with the Weber kids.  They spent the night and the next day with us.  Pictures in the post below this one!

We have started ushering at church as a family, the kids love it!  We even got to pass out Communion one week and the kids thought that was just great!  I love that they are getting involved in volunteering, especially since it is at the chapel!!!

February 2nd I had Daniel's first parent/teachers conference with Ms. Raymond!  He is a "high flier" in his class as his teacher calls him!  Daniel is now in a multi-age class with both kindergarten and 1st grade.  He is doing great, I just hope he is challenged next year since he is mostly doing 1st grade work right now.

February 4th along with my regular Bible study, we have started every Wednesday attending an evening Bible study.  Bill and I are doing "Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage" and the kids are doing the "Gospel Project".  I love that we are all learning more about the Lord!

February 6th Daniel had a basketball game and I got to participate in my first PWOC Game Night!  It was nice to get out with a couple ladies.  We chatted, played a game and headed over to the Spaghetti House for coffee!  It was nice to get to know a couple more people a little better one on one!  I had a great time!!!

Daniel in action at his game!!!

February 7th Alyssa had another basketball game and we went up the mountain to enjoy the brand new two plus feet of snow.  We got to make brand new tracks and had a lot of fun in the deep snow!!!  The girls each brought a friend!

Alyssa in action on the court!!!

Bill and all the kids heading up to the sledding hill!!!

This past week brought sickness into the house.  Bill started it on Wednesday evening with feeling cold and achy.  Hannah came down with the bug on Thursday evening, so she had to miss her Valentine's Party on Friday.  Lastly and I hope he is the last one to get it, but this morning Daniel came down with the bug, so he and Bill had to miss church this morning.  So far Alyssa and I are the only ones that have not gotten it and I am hoping it stays that way.  Good thing my Young Living Golden Touch kit arrived on the 12th, so I could oil everyone up!  We are loving the oils!!!

February 14th, yesterday, after Alyssa's game everyone was well and we went to Palmanova, Italy.  It is known as the Star-Shaped Fortress Town, probably the most unique city we have ever visited!!!  More pictures to come...

Here is Alyssa again, I love watching her games!

Life is good and we hope you all are doing well!!!

Don't forget to check out my new blog, it is still in the making!  http://asimplelife4us.blogspot.it/  or even checkout and "like" my A Simple Life facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/asimplelife4us

Have an awesome long weekend!!!  The kids have both Monday and Tuesday off, so I hope we are all feeling better tomorrow.  I was hoping to get out and explore a new place!!!