Moving!

My blog will be moving soon.  I suppose I should be more specific...this blog will still be here but I'm starting a new one with a new name.  So, stay tuned and I'll give you the link.  See ya soon...

A New Year

Hello and welcome to 2013!!  It's a New Year!  What will this year bring?  No one knows for sure!

Do you make New Year's Resolutions?  I don't usually like to because I almost always fail, but sometimes I think of a few things.  Last year I made some resolutions and I didn't do a very good job at keeping them.  This year, rather than specific resolutions, I'm just going to try to do two things.  Ready?  1) Eat less and 2) Spend less.  They are pretty simple and straightforward and I'm really going to try.  Oh, and I want to exercise more...but I know I won't be consistent with that so I won' even list it!

As far as themes for my blog this year - I have none!  It was tough to keep up last year and I didn't always get my posts done on time (as you know if you're a regular follower).  But, I did finish the year with 4 posts each month according to my themes.  This year I'm just going to post things as they come to me.  That might mean fewer posts, but I'll still be here and I'll try to find entertaining things to share as often as I can.

I wish you all a very Happy New Year!

Halfway

Hello, friends! Yesterday was my half birthday. Not something I celebrate, but I was aware of it because this year I have a list of 30 goals I'm trying to accomplish. And, if yesterday was my half birthday, you might think that I'd be halfway thru my list...but you'd be wrong! Very wrong! I took a look at the list last night and it was almost depressing. I only have 6 goals crossed off! ONLY SIX! Now, part of the reason is that I can't fully cross off some of the goals until the year is over because they are ongoing or reoccurring. So, I am making progress on about 5 others. But, that's still only 11 goals, out of 30. I realize that I need to get busy. I also realize that I probably won't make it. In fact, I know there are a few that I've already failed at...like exercise twice a week. (that's just an impossible goal for me anyway). So, at the end of the year, I will give myself 1 point for each completed goal, half a point for each partially completed goal, and a negative point for each goal that hasn't even been attempted. I hope I can get a passing grade...but at this point I'm really not sure.

At least the near future looks promising...I have plans to complete a few more goals in the next couple months so it will feel good to cross some things off. I'll be sure to blog about each goal as it is completed. Oh wait, I think I missed a post! I did! Back when my computer died, I never wrote about our Valentine's Day vacation. I will get on that. I'll have to find some good photos and then I'll write about our trip. Something to look forward to!

Until then, have a wonderful day...

Absent

I'm just writing to let you know that I'm still here. I haven't updated in a while because 1) we went on vacation for a few days and 2) my computer died. I'm giving Bill some time to work on my computer and hopefully get it up and running again before I continue blogging. If he can't get it working, I'll see about writing some blogs using his laptop. So, I'm still here and I'll post updates as soon as I can. Don't go away!

The Road Trip Begins!

We started our Road Trip today. This is the legendary Road Trip that we have been thinking about and planning for over a year. I'm very excited that we're on our way! We returned from Peru a couple days ago and I have a lot of video clips and pictures to sort. Once I get time to work on those, I will write some more posts to finish the Peru trip. In the meantime, I'm going to share some Road Trip adventures. I'm taking video clips on this trip too, so you have something to look forward to!

We decided to do a scavenger hunt on our trip and try to find things along the way...but I haven't compiled the list yet, so we haven't started. If you have any ideas of what we should look for, let me know and we'll add it to the list. Until then, we are looking for license plates. We figured we should be able to find a lot of them, since we are traveling thru 25 states in the next 4 weeks. So far, we had a very good first day! We've already found 16 states and 1 Canadian province. That's pretty good for one day!

Tomorrow, I'm going to do a picture diary. I'm going to copy Rachael's "A Day In My Life" and take pictures of our whole day. I might not take as many pictures as she does, but it should be entertaining. I've started taking a lot of video clips lately, so I haven't been taking as many pictures. And Bill didn't take many pictures today either. But, tomorrow I will work hard on documenting our whole day for your viewing pleasure. So, stay tuned and check back soon. I'll upload pictures as soon as we have another internet connection!

Siena Pictures

For the 4th of July, we took our last trip in Italy. Actually, we left on the 3rd of July because it was a holiday for us and we went up to Siena. I've been in Italy for 3 years and I had never been to Siena. A lot of people talk about Siena and some say it is their very favorite town so I decided we had to go before leaving for good. We took the train up on Friday afternoon and found our cute hotel. On the way up, we passed a million fields filled with sunflowers and I thought of my mom. There were tons of them...yellow as far as the eye could see. I tried to get a picture of them but the train was a little too quick for my camera.

In Siena, we arrived the day after their big annual horse race. Its called Il Palio and all the neighborhoods compete in a horse race around the main square. Its a big deal and the locals take it very seriously. We weren't there for the race, but we were there when the winning team paraded all around town with their flags and drums and neighbors to brag about their victory. The winners of the race win a banner that a local artist paints each year (called a palio). We were able to see the winning team parading all around town in several different locations and Bill got a lot of great pictures. The next day we slept in and ate some food and just hung out. It was a very relaxing vacation and a fitting end to our wonderful time in Italy. (Although, I'm not sure I would say Siena is my favorite town...I have other favorites.)

Bill posted his pictures for this short trip rather quickly. You can see them here. Enjoy!

my attempt at a picture of sunflowers

Bill in the main square of Siena

Our time in Italy is rapidly coming to an end. I had hoped to blog about a few more things that I will miss from Rome, but I just don't have the time. I have the pictures and the ideas in mind, but I can't find the time to sit down and write about them properly. I guess I'll have to write about them after I'm gone and I'm reminiscing. I hope you can wait until then!

New Banner

I just wanted to draw your attention to my banner....that's right, its new! My wonderful husband updated my banner for me and its just what I always wanted (thanks, Bill!). I decided it should be updated once more while I'm still in Italy. So, here's a banner, Italia-style: A little shot of gelato (which is my favorite and I will miss it oh-so-much when I'm gone) to represent all the amazing TASTES. And, an anniversary shot from Bellagio, the most beautiful place in Italy (followed closely by Capri) to represent our awesome TRAVEL. A new banner to remember all the good times spent here in the boot-shaped country.

Enjoy the new banner!

Coming Soon...

I promise, more updates are coming soon! Right now we're a little busy preparing for our pack-out (that's when professional packers come and take away most of our earthly possessions). I can't let that happen unless things are organized a certain way...so we've been organizing, and stacking, and sorting, and cleaning, and moving, and sorting some more. Bill has been very understanding and he's helping me even though he doesn't agree that its all necessary. I really appreciate his help anyway!

As soon as the packing is finished, and we take a long weekend to relax, I will resume updating my blog on a more regular basis. I have a lot to say and good pictures to share so hang on just a little longer and I'll make sure its worth it! Thanks.

New & Improved

In case you didn't already notice, my blog is different!! Yup, Bill helped me update my header and background. I feel it more accurately portrays my thoughts and feelings about this blog. And, its just plain fun. And cool! Yes, its very cool. I have the bestest husband in the whole world. He worked hard at making it just right...and getting it to look exactly the way I wanted. So, now I have the very coolest blog - well, at least the coolest looking blog. The text is still up to me and its only sometimes cool. But, I can handle that: cool looking and sometimes cool sounding. So, thank you Bill for making my blog fancy and fun (and cool)!

When Bill gets his camera back, I have some more ideas for blog posts. I'm trying to come up with a few themes that I can write a series about, like I did with the 30 Day of Food. If you have any suggestions, they're always welcome. Have a happy 3-day weekend, if you get one. And if not, then have a happy 2-day weekend!

Welcome

Welcome to my new blog. I'm not feeling particularly inspired right now, but I have to write a welcome note. This is the first of many exciting posts to come, I hope. I decided to start a new blog about two of my favorite things: Food and Travel. I like to eat, most people do, and I like to visit new places - around the world and around the corner. So, I'm hoping to become a more regular blogger...sharing my stories about eating, cooking, baking, traveling, adventuring, exploring, etc. I'm also excited that I have a new companion to share all this with...to eat with me and to travel with me. I'm not sure Bill knows what he's in for!

I had quite an ordeal finding a name for my new blog. I wanted it to be just right...but I wasn't sure what that was. I had a lot of help and appreciate all the suggestions. I like to think that I'm a decisive person - but this blog-naming ordeal has made me question that. I had a lot of options and just couldn't decide what I liked. I'm still not sure I'm satisfied, but I'm going to stick with it for a while. It's basic enough to cover everything I might want to write about. And, occassionally, I'm sure I'll write something that doesn't fit - but its my blog so I can do that!

So, thanks again for joining me in this blog thru eating & expeditions, dining & destinations, palates & places, foods & footsteps, and so on.