Non abbastanza presto

{not soon enough}

There only exposure I have had to real Italian culture is our friend who owns an Italian restaurant here in Hanau.

Besides the fact that spaghetti is by far my favorite food I also love the language Felice our Italian friend calls me piccolini and Taimi piccolino.

It makes me so happy I love the way it sounds.

We hop on a plane tomorrow morning. The sun can't come up soon enough.

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Today we said goodbye to most our friends. It was hard. The primary had me get up while they wish me well wishes I cried. It's so humbling to enter a strange place and leave with life long friends and precious memories to cherish for all time.

We spent the remainder of the day resting for the best 7 Italian days EVER!

I wish I was sleeping right now but I have to wait for my clothes to wash so hopefully they will be dry by tomorrow morning. The joys of waiting last minute to do most everything.

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CIAO

Game Over

That is it I guess.

We lost in the playoffs.

The season is officially over.

Another chapter written in the book of our life another to start.

The team had a great dinner right outside our house at our Italian Resturant

where they introduces a new White Wings pizza on the menu.

owner and cheif Felice (bottom right)

Speaking if Italy...

we are totally going for one week to see the beautiful country

but also to visit some of our dearest friends

I can't decided if I am more excited to see THIS (Cinque Terre)

or Rome or Venice or Florence or Verona

I am freaking out inside!

Between packing up the house saying goodbye AND planning a trip to Italy I am beaming with all sorts of emotions.

Cheers to a great season.

Italy here we come!!

Italy recommendations and advice greatly appreciated

What I Got

I think it's always interesting what I find important enough to carry around with me everywhere I go. At this stage in my life this is what I found in my purse.

(starting top in rows going left to right)

Passports and peanuts for Taimi

My mini Book of Mormon it's nice to be strapped with the word of God wherever you go, crayons, pen and pink moleskin journal of thoughts and memories of Taimi I will give to her when she is older, hair elastics and clip, tissue, the current book I am reading, and WIPES.

Sticker book (a must have for us) lipsticks (to many if you ask me) Gum and stray mints, tic tacs, lotion and floss, throat drops and meltaway stips for Taimi, her cookie monster I-pod.

VIP ticket to get into the game, my dead phone I haven't used in months, Taimi's mittens my gloves and bubbles.

Dude no wonder my back hurts why do I carry half this stuff.

Also glad I did this cause I didn't have a diaper in my purse that would have been a catastrophe.

Not pictured about 1/2 a cups worth of fish crackers and crumbs.

All you need is love

Date night at Kinopolis in Frankfurt.

We saw the Vow (blah) the theater seats at least 1000 people it's incredibly massive. It was nice being almost the only ones in there.

After the movie we refilled out bucket of popcorn for Taimi

and walked around downtown for a while.

The next day was Valentines day Taimi had a little date with Issac Lucas a little English lad they play so well together.

We couldn't think of a better place to spend Valentines day than at the Frankfurt temple although there were a few hang ups like the huge language barrier while trying to get situated and in the right place before the session started not to mention Chris's translation devise didn't work hahahahaha it still was great.

We ate some whooppers and french fries picked up Taimi and headed home.

Once we got home Chris went to go order Taimi a mushroom and onion pizza from our restaurant

(T-times favorite) and these beauties.

Yes he waltzed in and got on one knee just like this picture. What a dreamy fella. He got me roses and tulips (swoon)

Taimi loved smelling them and pretending to bit the buds off the steams that silly little girl.

Chris went to practice leaving Taimi and I to adore our bouquet

Chris came home to candles and flower peddles

(wink wink)

It was a great Valentines day weekend.

Dddddate Nuight

Chris and I haven't been on a double date since Taimi was born Ahem...whats up with that??

So our friends invited us on one last Friday and it was awesome.

We rode the train into the center of Frankfurt heading to a Thai restaurant. I was a little apprehensive about the whole "Thai" thing because the one time Chris and I went to a Thai restaurant we walked out with a bad taste in our mouths just from the smell in the air :) before even ordering.

The menu was at least 200 pages long (maybe I am slightly exagerating)

When I read that they had a dish called Som-Tam-Pu-Pla-laa I was in love with this place

Leslie and I were dared to eat chewy duck that tasted totally ducky

(slighting dry heaving thinking about it right now)

and a hairy gooey furry chewy fruit that I totally regret eating.

I get "gross" chills...meaning bad chills when I think about eating it again.

We had to get some sundaes and apple pies to get the ducky furry fruit taste out of our mouths.

Seriously dipping your apple pie into a hot caramel sundae is so delicious.

These two are so much fun. John walked away with the joke of the night...congratulations.

It was nice getting out of our daily activities and going someplace new without our little T-nugget, but she was missed.

So...THIS is what people look like while I am talking aka making a fool of myself and enjoying every minute of it.

Thanks for a great night guys!

Hopefully we can do it again before time runs out.

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Today we went to a park full of see-saws (serious) Tiami loves it.

We fed the LDS missionaries. We love them!

I was so angry and frustrated cause I have been working hard at getting more fit and healthy but my pants fit tighter and I FEEL fatter than ever (grrrr) so Chris sat be down in front of him and for 10 minutes told me how perfect I am yada yada yada he is so sweet and was so serious about it.

Taimi loves to play follow the leber, follow the leader from Peter pan she is so rad!

Fasching

Fasching is a big holiday. It’s like the 4th of July and Halloween combined. Which are two of my 3 favorite holidays in the states. Everyone dresses up and meets in the middle of town to ride rides eat delicious food and wait for the parade to start. 

I was surprised when Taimi asked to ride the bumper cars which ended up being her favorite ride in the square. They have music playing so everyone can dance and has a grand ol’ time.

  

The parade is by far my favorite part. It’s not your average parade. Every “float” (they are more like semi’s and trucks that people stand on and in) throws handfuls of candy. All the kids and grownups rush to fill their buckets and bags. No one feels left out cause they throw so much candy and toys and popcorn balls and even bags of chips.

I had this one old lady we are talking probably in her early 70’s butt bump me to get candy from me. Which became one of my favorite moments of the day.

They even hand out shots of alcohol cups of beer ect. but since we don’t drink we would refuse in return getting looks like we were from another planet. Also being some of my favorite moments.

Taimi had the time of her life. Everyone in the parade shouts “Helau” in return we also shout “helau” and they throw candy. Chris Taimi and I yell so loud we really got a lot of candy. We are becoming Fasching professionals. At first we thought they were all just saying hello or Hanau but we were mistaken. This is our cute neighbor who always brings Taimi gifts. Whenever we come home or leave they love to open the door and say hi.

Taimi’s loot. I’d say it was a successful Fasching.

T-Time

 

Taimi Taimi Taimi. 

She somehow manages to find my favorite lipsticks and tests them out on herself. She gave this one her approval I can’t help but laugh when she does that and not just with my lipstick basically if it’s mine she gets into it. It’s flattering really I enjoy it.

She loves putting together her outfits or adding her little touch to outfits we dress her in.

 

Her Cinderella dress or as she calls it “Cinella ess” that she loves to wear either when having a tea party with Mickey and Minnie or when watching any Disney princess movie (all her idea)

She frequently will want her bathing suit on over whatever she is wearing along with any beanie or hat she can find.

Putting on Moms shoes is a daily activity. She would happily leave the house wearing any of my shoes if she could only figure out how to get down 2 flights f stairs while wearing them. It’s only a matter of time she does…she’s a genius.

Super Taimi. The Underwear over the pants ensemble. We let her walk around town and to restaurants like this. I love it. I think it gives her confidance when we allow her to make her own decisions and not try to control her every move. She loves to sit and look out the window (which is securly fastened she can’t open it and either Chris or I usually both are right by her side) This day she was sad cause it was rainy. We were singing “it’s raining it’s poring the old man is snoring…” I love that song.

Today the playoffs begun. We played a team in Northern Germany. We will play them again next Saturday and if we win again on Tuesday.

Tonight we lost which is super sad. However I can’t help but feel I teeny tiny bit happy cause that just means I might be home for Easter.

Accountablility

I was super hesitant to do a blog post about my body/lifestyle but I felt maybe if I blogged about it I would feel more accountable.

I know I am not fat. But sometimes I FEEL fat. I don’t really like the way I feel in some of my clothes. I also am sick of feeling insecure when Chris goes in to tickle or rub my stomach. So I finally decided to stop wishing and complaining (mostly in my head) and take control.

I change a lot of my eating habit. Namely Soda pop, I drink it super sparingly. I drink a green smoothie for breakfast and about 75% of the time I eat a salad for lunch OR dinner definitely not both ( i would die) for a snack I eat greek yogurt with honey and walnuts. Chris prefers his greek yogurt with brown sugar and cherries. I gagged the first time I had it but now it’s a treat for me I love it.

About 3-4 times a week I race Chris to the gym. Chris drives with Taimi in our van and I sprint it’s about a 20 minutes sprint. I almost get their when he does :) It’s awesome my legs feel like jello and sometimes I feel like I am going to hurl. While I am at the gym I will lift and stretch. I rotate upper body and lower body. If I don’t make it to the gym I do a rockbody.tv workout. I usually watch a bunch of their workouts and invent my own that works for me. I just do what I can here or there. And I have been feeling great.

Anyway it’s about a week into this life style change and I am still going which is good. I don’t really have a target weight or size I want to reach I just want to be stronger more tight and feel better about my dangnamit.

Despite of; notwithstanding;

I love you despite of the fact that when we wrestle you forget you are at least 3 times bigger than me and around 97.5 times stronger.

I love you notwithstanding the wonderful times I have when I fall inside the toilet bowl due to your "cute" forgetfulness.

I love you despite the fact that when we agree to share a meal or dessert you take 6 gargantuan bits to my 1 normal size bite (lol) leaving me with maybe 3 bites total and a little hungry.

I love you notwithstanding the piles of basketball gear that are drenched in your perspiration.

I love you when you hold me tight after wrestling cause one of us got hurt...usually you even though you are 97.5 times stronger than me...I play diiiirty.

I love it when you are genuinely concerned for me as I yelp from the bathroom with a soggy behind.

I love how sorry you are when you see my face once we realize the meal we were just sharing is all gone and I wanted more. I love how you offer to go back to the restaurant or grocery store or even the offers to bake or make more. I know you will do anything for me.

I love how good you are about doing the laundry for your basketball gear and how sweet you are when you recognize I did it for you.

I love everything about you especially the "despite of's" and "notwithstanding(ings)"

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Chris had his last regular season game this past weekend. We also have such a great turn out of supporters and friends. Here are two of my very good friends here in Germany Leslie and Pamela.

The game went into overtime it got so loud especially with the drums from our fans and the opposing team's fans.

But nothing stops Taimi from doing what she wants to do. In this case she wanted to sleep.

Did I mention we lost? Good cause who cares about that part.

How cute is she?! She is getting so big. I love watching her grow out of her clothes play with her toys start to read books and talk more.

E+A=enchanting

It's no secret both my sisters are absolutely amazing in every way feasible I can't wait to get home to have more sister interaction.

I love that I have siblings that I can brag about cause that's just what this post is :)

specifically this little honey nut cheerio

I love this layout my sister Elizabeth did of her and I.

Everything she used is from her new Dear Lizzy collection

Enchanted...seriously don't you love that....Enchanted?!

And is just so happens it was just REstocked and is ready for you to devour :)

Check it out here!