Gratitude, edition 2

After these trips I need to remind myself how lucky I am. That despite four days of being force-fed like a foie-gras goose, and despite a particularly obnoxious freak-out by our utterly tactless sister-in-law, we are blessed. One for each day:

1. Listening to conversations like this:

"His name was Rinaldi, he's married to, you know, that Nardelli girl."
"No, i'm thinking of one who's married to a Bertucci."
"Is it the one with the twins?"
"What was his name? Dominic? Frank? No, was it Nick?"
"Who did that Alunni marry, was it a Crespi?"

Seriously. Like being in the back room at the Bada Bing, only with 80-year-old women.

2. Very smooth travel. Scary smooth. And that's including the two-hour delay on our very last leg. The kids were amazing. Jo kept busy for hours with movies on DVD plus an extremely dopey Precious Moments coloring/activity book she received as a gift. Opie played with a 25-cent plastic airplane and on one car trip, a tiny flashlight.

3. Besides their awesomeness at traveling, their overall awesomeness.
a) Opie, on seeing an airplane (one of hundreds): "Ooh. It's PWETTY."

b) New art from Jo (mama elephant with baby):














4. Three cousins, one slip-and-slide.













Back soon to discuss truths and lies.