Cousin B. in Sassari :)

My cousin Lisa was here!! I know I already told all of you that she was coming to visit, but it is just so exciting for me to have visitors that I needed to tell you again :)  Lisa was able to stay an entire week with us and I loved every minute.  We had an absolute blast and the weather was perfect.

We did it all...Castelsardo, Stintino, Alghero, Porto Torres, and Sella & Mosca Winery.  I will say it was my first time getting a tour of the Sella and Mosca winery and it was amazing.  We had our own personal tour guide that took the two of us around for over an hour giving us detailed information about everything that happens there, and had happened in the past.  Our guide Anna was so nice, and really gave us a grand tour.  If we have more visitors or are back here again another season, this will definitely be something I do with everyone!

We could not have asked for better weather either, it was awesome!  We were able to walk in Porto Torres almost everyday and even were able to sneak a few hours on the beach too.  Tony unfortunately had a road game that weekend but we were able to watch it at Ro's house with her Mom....and of course made our Portillos Chopped salad....thanks for having us Ro and Rose :)

I know most of you have gathered that I LOVE having visitors so of course I was so happy that Lisa was able to come here, and it was just so nice having my cousin to do things with everyday, makes me so happy.  Here are some pictures of the trip:

Castelsardo

The walk at Porto Torres

St. Patricks day...crepes!

My favorite cafe for a little snack in the sun!

Gelato in Alghero

To dinner we go!

I am actually holding a fan making our hair do that...JK!  At Fontana Rosello in Sassari.

In the Duomo piazza in Sassari

With the barrels...in the very old and cool cellar.

Our lovely guide Anna!

Another day on the walk at PT.

And another...it is just so beautiful there!

Finale dinner...sad to see you go Lisa!

We had to wear green on St. Patricks day...good thing Lisa packed multiples of her favorite color :)

Tony's team has been rockin' and rollin' and they are currently tied for 2nd place with 4 teams.  And it is actually starting to look like they could get home court advantage for play-offs.  We still have 7 games to go, but they team is playing really well together, so they just need to keep it up!  FORZA DINAMO!

CIAO TUTTI!

Back again friends...

My favorite thing to do on Tony's day off...hot chocolate in the center !

Once again, sorry for the long delay between posts...I don't know what my deal is this season!  I promise I will be better. 


Since we were last here, quite a bit has happened...the Super bowl...the Italian cup...My Brother and Sister in law coming to visit....team parties...and of course the usual basketball.

Some of the girls at the team party!  Go Dinamo :)

The girls and Lou (in the bear outfit) out for hot chocolate!

Baby Louis at the game...he is growing like crazy!

Ro glowing and us prepping the Super Bowl goodies.

Super bowl food was taken care of...yummers!

Obviously the best thing was T.J. and Ashley coming to Sassari!  I LOVE having people visit especially when it is family!  Neither one of them had been to Italy before so it was so much fun showing them around and trying to teach them the real Italian culture.  They stopped in Rome for day before getting to us, and I think they both would say it was quite touristy and everyone seemed to speak English.  Let's just say they were happy to get to the "real italy" in Sassari with us.  

We had a great time going all over around our city, and seeing all the cool things, but for me the best part was our time together just playing cards, sipping on cappuccinos, and our dinners out.  Since they live in Cali, and  we live here most of the time, our time together just the four of us is limited...so we made the most of it!   Here are a few pictures of the things we did!  

First stop...Alghero cave for a cappuccino!

Sassari Square

Castelsardo...my fav!

Nice spot for another cappuccino :)

Beautiful day in Alghero!

Amazing crepe place...peace!

Love having my Brother here!  

Final night dinner...cheers to a great trip!

Love...love...love having them here.  Sad to see them go...

As for bball, Dinamo is currently in 4th place in the league and heading to a game against Roma tomorrow night.  We only have two months in the season left, and that entails eleven games.  Right now looks like play offs are in our future!  They played in the Italian cup, but lost in the first round to Siena, but Siena ended up winning the whole thing...so that was OK.  

Italian Cup in Torino

The weather here is starting to get warmer.  This place is sure hard to beat when the weather is nice...I love it here in the Spring!  My cousin Lisa is coming to visit in about a week and I can hardly wait...we will have so much fun.  Pics to follow!

Ketchup Time

It's been too long and I have missed you all...so it's time to catch up!  My play on words title was inspired by my 1st grader niece Gwenny who is learning how to write, read, and spell.  It just makes you stop and realize how many words we have that sound the same but are spelled differently...pretty confusing for a 6 year old!

Anyway...I haven't blogged forever, so here I go! 

Happy New Year to all of you, I hope it has started out with a bang!  We are one month in so I hope all of your resolutions are still in play ;)  Tony and I rang in 2012 with the team at one of the trainer's houses.  We had a great time, and sent our lantern flying at midnight!  This year everyone let off those paper lanterns that you see in the movie Tangled...and it was an amazing sight.  There were hundreds floating in the sky!  It was a great night, and we are looking forward to what 2012 has in store.

The girls!

Our 2012 Lantern!

Happy New Year!!





The month of January flew by, with my birthday, and a two week trip home for me!  The team made the Italian cup which will be played next weekend in Torino, and they are currently in 8th place in league (out of 17 teams).  Everything has stayed pretty normal here on the island except for the current snow that is still on the ground!  They never get snow here, so yesterday was SUPER quiet around here, and I am pretty sure everything was closed.  One of the downers of living in an apartment is not having a yard or grass to go play in.  Oh well..it is melting today and I hope it warms up before my Brother and Ashley arrive in two weeks!

Birthday outing for my two favs!

Birthday dinner!

Snow in Sassari...this is SO rare.

My trip home was the highlight of the month for me...I just love going home and seeing everyone and spending time with family.  This time I arrived a day late (due to a cancelled flight in Atlanta) to snow and icy conditions.  Not too mention the power was out at my parents...and stayed out for 5 days!  Thank the Lord for my sister Sara who had power...so we all snuggled as a fam there and enjoyed the cold conditions together.  Nothing like a slumber party in Gwenny's room to catch up on all the first grade happenings ;)

The best thing about home was a surprise birthday weekend that my sisters planned!!  Kristin flew in for 24 hours to surprise me and then they had booked a Seattle hotel for us to stay in.  I got to spend the day in Seattle with Kristin and my Mom, and then Sara came up and we met my cousin Lisa for a little happy hour....little did I know, another surprise came later, when Beth, Jessie, Katie, and Michelle showed up to join the party!!  It was SOOO much fun, we be-bopped all around Seattle and definitely made the most of our time together!  Best birthday ever that is for sure!  Thanks girsls :) 




Sisters :)



The surprise group!

Michelle, Jessie, and Lisa

So many great times...here are a few pics of things that happened at home:

My Dad (on the right) getting inducted for the 2nd time to the EHS Hall of Fame...Congrats to the 1969 team!

Meeting Blakely Biege for the fist time!

Can't get enough sister time!



Nephew Brody and I enjoying a little Starbucks :)

SO many more things went on at home and I think I fit in as much as possible.  I slept for two days after I got back here :)  But happy to be back with Tony and back in our little routine! 

Until next time...CIAO TUTTI!!

A Christmas of Peace and Joy

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!  I know I am a little late for wishing Merry Christmas but I sure hope it was true for you and your families.  This year as you know, we were here for Christmas and it was quite wonderful.

But before I get to Christmas, a very exciting thing that happened was that one of the fellow wives here, Gini Diener, who I have mentioned before had her baby boy Louis Antonio on December 23rd at noon exactly!  It was such a sweet Christmas miracle and he was so cute and perfect.  I went to see him right after he was born and he was so adorable.  Gini did amazing during labor, she really was a trooper all the way through her whole pregnancy, I hope I can do that well someday!  She was truly an inspiration of staying positive and being strong even in not so perect conditions.  Later on that same day I went back with Ro while the guys were at practice.  It was so much fun to just hold him and witness God's amazing gift of life.  But one of the best things was to watch Gini look at him and just light up with joy.  I don't know yet what that will be like, but it sure seems magical.  Louis is home now and doing really well, I see him pretty much everyday and love every minute.

Louis Antonio Diener 7 pounds and 3 ounces and 21 inches long.

Tony is such a natural with babies.

Louis and his little red Christmas outfit...so precious!

Christmas here was very peaceful.  That morning we opened presents, ate a Christmas breakfast, and then just relaxed together until Tony had to go to practice.  After practice we had dinner at Travis and Ro Diener's house, they were so nice to have us over, and even though there was only four of us, it made it really feel like Christmas to be with friends.  The Dieners (Trav and Ro) have been so much fun getting to know, and it feels like we have been friends forever...we almost even went caroling, but saved the neighbors at the last minute ;)  The team also hosted a dinner earlier in the week to celebrate which was very nice, and great to be all together. 

The Dinamo girls :)

Merry Christmas!

The American table...

The day after Christmas was another festive day, since the Dieners had made it home safe and sound with baby Louis, we had a big Christmas dinner with all six of us.  The food was amazing (thanks to Ro's cooking...I learn a lot from her), and the friends even better. 

Christmas dinner with the Dieners (yes both couples are Dieners, the boys are cousins)!

Look at Tony's hair in this one...I think it is the longest ever!!

Like I said it was truly a Christmas of peace and joy.

The team had a game on the 27th and lost, but now will have 5 more games in the span of 2 weeks!  Game night tonight against Pesaro and then they head out of town Monday for a road game.   UPDATE:  The team BEAT Pesaro...way to go Dinamo.

Looking forward to a fun New Years eve tomorrow night with the team...and welcoming 2012!!

CIAO TUTTI!!

Being a Stranger in your own home.

SO back again to living in an apartment that is fully furnished and everything we have is not ours.  It is kind of a funny concept if you really think about it.  We just show up here or any city we have played in and we move into a place that has totally random things that someone else has picked out and put together. But this season we have lucked out for the most part and uur apartment is nice and everything in it is new, so no complaining here.  But I must admit at times I dream about un-packing our wedding gifts that have been boxed for over three years and getting to pick out my own furniture, decorations, paint colors, etc.  It is just funny feeling over here of being a stranger in your "own" home.

For now here are a few pics of our 2011-2012 digs:

Living room

My Bathroom

Master Bedroom...do you like the tree stickers on the closet?

Spare Bedroom/Laundry drying room that has a secret bed sytem which is quite nifty.

Our brand new kitchen...what a treat :)



Our view from our balcony.  The sunsets right over that hill, so pretty at night.

Sweet ride...love having an automatic.

So there is a quick over view of our home away from home...if that is what you can call it?  Tony's team just beat Varese at home to move them into 7th place as of now.  The team looked great and we had a fun time at Tony's Pizza after the game.  This week they head to Treviso to play on Saturday for a TV game.  I am expecting some more fun times with the wives. 

CIAO TUTTI!!