Baseball & Softball 2016

4 weeks (boy I'm behind) ago we kicked off the 2016 Spring Sports Season. Mother Nature did not cooperate that day and the kids both got in about half a game before the fields were too water logged.

Here is Emma (being silly Emma) dancing at 2nd base before the inning started

 Soggy softball players

 Camden at bat

 I took cover on the patio near the field.  Can you see Camden out in left field?  The other team did not have enough players, so he was kind enough to help them out and play for their team.

 Flash forward one week...

Emma is thrilled I want to take her picture before opening ceremonies

 Our amazingly brave and talented girl sang the National Anthem!

 Teams ready for Opening Ceremonies

 Introducing the A's

 Introducing the Red Fusion

 Thanks to a friend, he has captured some great pictures of Camden over the past 2 games. Thanks, Tim!

 

Taormina

We slowly started making our way back towards the mainland on Tuesday.  We stopped in the town of Caltagirone and wandered through the ceramic stores. The town is famous for these ceramic tiled steps. 

We made it to the top, Mom!

Sherri took us by her old stomping ground near Sigonella and then we headed to our last stop of the trip: Taormina

Afternoon treat: Aperol Spritz and cannolis

Beautiful views...

Finding our hotel was a bit of an adventure and we may have ended up driving down this road and through this arch. SCARY!

Vino on our hotel balcony with Mt. Etna in the background

 Time to head home! This road trip was one for the memory books :)

Donnafugata Tour & Joppolo

On Monday we left the kids with Madds' Zia Angela and took a side trip to Marsala. In honor of our magnificent Melissa's birthday, we toured the Donnafugata winery.

This is where the magic happens...

 I've visited many wineries, but this was the first time I've actually seen the bottling assembly line up and running.  It was so cool!

Tasting and lunch

Meanwhile, back in Joppolo, Camden, Emma, and Gabriella spent the day with Zia Angela and the rest of Madds' family.  When we got back to town, we had a drink in the piazza.

It was so much fun to meet Madds' big crazy family and see the town where her parents grew up.

Joppolo countryside

Agrigento

Sunday morning we were welcomed with spectacular Sicilian scenery as we drove south to Agrigento

Look who we found at the famous Greek temples?!?! 

Actually, Madds and her family found us driving (lost) around town. After leading us to our hotel we explored the Valle dei Templi

I just happen to be teaching a unit on Ancient Greece right now, so visiting this piece of amazing history was a highlight of the trip!

Seafood lunch by the sea

 After lunch, we visited the Turkish Steps. Madds (of course) knew the owner of a beach bar along the way so we grabbed beers and sambuca.

 Picture pit stop on the rocks

Love this girl!

Favorite picture of the trip: 

I decide this is a great place to stop and get a group selfie.  I sit my (nearly full) beer next to a rock. Everyone gets in place and Camden says, "Mom, your beer just blew into the ocean."

Click

Road trip superstars!

 

Sitting on the Turkish Steps

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Girlz

Emma thought the water was COLD

Camden chasing people with seaweed

Spring Break Road Trip to Sicily

Spring Break 2016 finally arrived and we were excited to hit the road as soon as we could Friday afternoon! We drove about 4 hours south and stopped for the night. Saturday morning we drove to the tip of the toe of Italy and took the ferry over to Sicily.

Our road trip partners in crime: Sherri & Melissa

After a pit stop for some ceramics shopping and a delicious pistachio pasta lunch in Santo Stefano, we drove to Cefalu. Chris and I visited here in October 2013. This time we didn't have much sunshine, but we still had to take a walk on the beach.

Sherri is in good spirits with her umbrella on the beach

An area in town where women would come and wash clothes long ago

Mel in the beautiful archway to the beach

Walking around the town

Vacation = daily gelato!

Mel and Sherri in the cathedral piazza

We stopped by the local grocery store to pick up some goodies for dinner and then headed home to relax.  The clouds parted in time for a sunset toast on the balcony of our apartment.