Sunday, January 28, 2018

Spring Has Sprung!


April, 2017- lots of Sunday walks at places like Arlington Cemetery and Old Town Alexandria, finding a baby turtle, flowers at the National Arboretum, and a fun visit from Teresa and her kids.  About sums it up!






 

 

 



Another terrible selfie.  Oh well.



Introducing the Williams to Middle Eastern food.
Success!






Oh, Italy. I'm A Little Obsessed With You.

OK, listen.  I'm so behind on this blog.  It's now been almost a year since we went to Italy- March, 2017.  And now I'm about to have our first baby (did I tell you that??? Of course I did.  Just not on the blog).  Anyway, life has taken over in a big way, and so I'm just out of the energy to do a really detailed post about our trip. But rest assured, it was AMAZING.  I would go back to Italy tomorrow.   We spent most of our time in Rome, but went up to Assisi for the last day.  And were enamored.  Danny's sister and brother in law, Megan and Justin, also joined us for the first few days we were there.  We ran all over Rome for a few days, doing all the big things-  Trevi Fountain, Vatican (including St. Peter's Basilica, my fave spot), Colosseum, Pantheon, the Forum, lots of food and gelato and all the things.  It was so incredible to see places that were so OLD.  And beautiful art!  And the churches! Oh, the churches.  I spent my 38th birthday in Rome, and it was the best.

I also saw my nephew Tristan!  He was a missionary in Rome, and we went to the ward he was working in, so I could say hello.  It made my trip!  So, so wonderful.  I love that boy. 

Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday we mostly spent wandering Rome, just the two of us.  We love wandering together, and we revisited some sites we wanted to see again, and discovered wonderful spots in Rome that we hadn't seen yet- the neighborhoods of the Jewish ghetto, and Trastevere, more Piazzas and churches, the Marcellus Teatro, just to name a few.

Thursday-Assisi- up in the hill country, where St. Francis of Assisi grew up.  It was an incredible change from the busy of Rome.  Quiet, quaint, stone everything with flowers in the windows, everything you would imagine provincial Italy to be.  And amazing food!  And of course, gelato.

It was a delightful trip, and we were not quite ready to come home.  So glad we got one big trip in together before the babies came!  I love this man and am so happy to be married to him!

So excited we can't stand it!
Crashing in Heathrow airport- London
Trevi Fountain
I mean..gelato.
This is what jet lag looks like, at the Forum.
The Colosseum


St. Peter's Square
The Forum


The Colosseum

My boy!
I'm 38 today and in Rome!  #winningatlife







St. Peter's from the inside.
Megan, working the million stairs to the top of St. Peter's



Our crew on my birthday in Piazza Navona


St. Peter's Square from the top of the dome.  Amazing.

My man and I, on top of the world.  Or St. Peter's dome
Trastevere


Piazza di Popolo

Trevi and gelato.  You know.

Huge lemons.  No biggie

Pantheon
Piazza Navona

Piazza di Fiori flower market


Marcellus Teatro

Revisiting the Forum at sunset. Worth it.



The gorgeous countryside!
Assisi
Our adorable hotel










We visited a castle, and it was awesome.






Danny being irreverent

The views were incredible!

A terrible selfie.  It's fine.






Completely freaking out about the quaint beauty of Assisi
Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
Totally creeping on a monk






This place was just as beautiful at night.  I couldn't get over it.



Minerva Temple

Food...

Our last dessert- sipping chocolate.
I died a little bit.
The Basilica on our last night.  Stunning.

Not ready for home, but on our way anyway.
Parting shot of cozying up to your average battering ram.