As pretty as a picture!

This week is Spring Break and it is a FAR CRY from last year because THIS year....John is home and this year the weather is absolutely breathtaking! Thank you, Lord! I truly feel like I owe it to God to gush and gush over Him about the weather and the beauty of His creation this week. He really outdid Himself!! The pictures below are when we were driving to Venice and stopped off in.......GARMISCH!!! Of course, right? The pictures are special because the valley is BURSTING with green and Spring and birds busy in the trees, the sun is just coming up and bringing the mountain tops to life (I have to admit that everytime I see this...the sun coming up and kissing the tops of those mountains...I almost hurt myself getting to my camera. I literally jump like I have been shot and zone out the world...the kids and John are used to it...bless their hearts...), and the snow is still there...majestically holding her place without apology to the valley below. "I shall stay until it is my time to leave!" These pictures were taken side by side...I wanted you to see what I was seeing from the parking lot of a little coffee shop in Garmisch.

And so we headed on down to Italy, about 4 hours beyond Garmisch, to our sweet friend's house in Vicenzia. Pat and Jenny have lived there for 3 years and we have never visited...it was time. While we were there we shopped at Nove ("no-vay"....and with a Southern accent you can draw out that last syllable a bit and have yerself an "I-tal-yun" word fit for any city south of the Mason Dixon line!) and I bought my favorite Lenox pattern, Butler's Pantry, for a FRACTION of the cost...why??? Because they make it in NOVE! Okay...I am feeling compelled to show you pictures of the dishes....do you even WANT to see them?? Of course you do!!! My neighbors are calling them my "new baby"....'cuz they are just so cute!

On "Day 2" we all jumped on a train and made our way to Venice. I have to be honest...I wasn't sure if seeing Venice I would say "OOOOOO AHHHHH!" or "Hey! This place is prettier in pictures!".....and just because I am thrilled you are reading this baby blog...I will go ahead and tell you that it was more lovely and had MORE character and little nuances than I could have even dreamed! I soaked it in like a person just waking up from a coma! I have no idea if I drove the people crazy around me taking pictures...it doesn't matter...I took them anyway. Venice is cool y'all! REALLY REALLY COOL. I will just stop for a second and let you see what I mean!!

One of the dozens of views from little bridges over the canals...

The view from the main piazza...looking into the Adriatic Sea which feeds into the Mediterranian.....just for the record..I had to ask John what water that was...

Yep...they're real...with real little outfits and real little straw hats and real little boats...

How on earth does that one little fella steer that boat around. I would be terrified on the sea. Tha canal...I''m game...the sea...nope!

And so...without hesitation I tell you that Venice is as pretty as any picture or movie that ever existed. The people are nice and they are real and they don't seem at all bothered by all of the water. It was glorious!

Ciao Bella!