It Started in Naples

Trey (in his penguin sweater) and the other two and three year olds getting into the Christmas spirit!! I'm not sure it gets any cuter than this...tears and all. :) We really love his preschool here and will miss it so much when we're gone! 

We did a lot of practicing at home before the big concert - as you can see below Trey never stops singing and dancing! 

He loves his teacher: 

And his friend Evan who is in his class, but was away on a cruise during the concert (poor guy!). ;)  We baked and decorated Christmas cookies with the boys when they got back, which seemed to go over well with them both!  As you can see there is barely any room left in my lap for Evan to sit...

Lee and Anna came to visit again this year for Thanksgiving (just like last year) and instead of doing a traditional meal at home, we decided to spend the weekend in our nearby paradise of the Amalfi Coast.  We are so lucky to live so close to such cute towns, amazing seafood and beautiful beaches, and it was perfect weather to enjoy them without tourists or traffic!

We started out on Thanksgiving morning with a huge seafood lunch and a stroll on the Lungomare in the town of Maiori.

Since I'm eight months pregnant, we couldn't go TOO far for Veteran's Day weekend (no flights!), but we still managed to get to another country. The Most Serene Republic of San Marino is a tiny country located in north-east Italy and claims to be the oldest surviving sovereign state and constitutional republic in the world.

First, just want to document Trey's first day of Big Boy Underwear!! He's been sporting pull-ups since September (and 95% potty trained) but he decided when we got back from Perugia that it was time for real undies!!  These are Thomas the Train and he is SOOOOOO happy and excited.

Eurochocolate is an annual Chocolate Festival in Perugia (famous for manufacturing Baci by Perugina) that we've wanted to go to since we moved to Italy. Since this was our last chance, and I just happen to be pregnant and craving chocolate, we jumped at the opportunity!  We decided to head up the night before the festival opened and stay for the opening day, a Friday, which turned out to be a great choice.

In September, T had to go underway AGAIN for a few weeks (hopefully the last time in 2012... well actually hopefully the last time EVER!) and of course it was right when my cousin Laura had scheduled a "Girls Getaway" trip with two of her good friends.  They were celebrating all turning 40 and joined Trey & I in Napoli, spent time in Sorrento touring the Amalfi Coast, and then we all spent my birthday weekend on the Island of Ischia at the spa.

Today is 10.11.12, and I really feel like 2012 has FLOWN by.  Weren't we just in Germany celebrating Christmas with Lee and Anna?  How can it almost be Halloween already?  2012 has been a wonderful year and we hopefully will meet our new Baby Girl Gardner before the year is over (T is hoping for the tax return) but she may decide to wait til 2013!  

Anyway, we've had a fun fall so far.

This Labor Day we decided to do something we've never done before: a sightseeing-less trip to the beach!  Its something that all the Italians do every August, but something that T and I have never done...ever! (Even on our honeymoon!).

Since we know our time living in Italy is limited, we have used most of our time to get out and see the sights, but after a busy summer and one pregnant Momma, we were ready for a few days with nothing to do but enjoy the sun and sand.

Trey started Preschool on Sept 6, and so far he loves it! He is in a class with five other two-year-olds and goes to a local Italian & American Preschool on Tuesdays & Thursdays.  Before he started, Trey and I attended an open house to meet the teachers and see the school.

Stella Foltz, my cousin Helen's 14 year old daughter, came back to Napoli with Trey & I from Detroit Lakes, Minnesota for a little Italian sightseeing with her favorite cousin.  We all arrived the day before Trey's SECOND Birthday, so we decided to take a trip to ZooSafari on the Adriadic Coast to celebrate.