buon cupleanno carli

Saturday July 30th 2011
Very good day. I got to use the internet which im in love with and then after lunch they had a cake for me and candles. It was so sweet. They sang happy birthday and then i blew the candle out. Then Chad got me a cup of champagne and we toasted to my birthday. Then me and the kids played old maid . I'm going to talk to chandler tonight he said he would get on chat so i could chit chat with him . I'm so excited. Now tonight it's back to Imola. One more week then im free of babysitting!
Yesterday was so funny the littlest kid Kiera would come up to me randomly and go "Ciao Carli Come Sta??" Then I'd reply "Biene" and then she'd go on talking in Italian nonsense and i'd just nod my head and say "si si !"Then she would laugh and run away. It was so cute.

I was so happy when i saw Chandler had written me a message and i quickly got on chat so we could talk. I talked to him for a while , it was so good to hear him say happy birthday and happy anniversary. He is the best. I love him . I can handle two more weeks here i know it. then EVEn better my mom called and i got to talk to her and kimber and emily. Talking to them lifts my spirits. I love my family so much, they put me in an awesome mood. I talked to them for 24 minutes and 34 seconds. I told them that i had a nice birthday and that i was excited to come home and to have my week off to travel. I decided Rome is too far (3 hour train ride) but Claudia (matteos wife, she is lovely) told me i need to visit bolongna and a city starting with "R" i can't remember. But i've heard Bolonga is beautiful. I am so excited to travel. But back to my fam fam it was so good to talk to them. i can't wait to give them their gifts. They send me a package too , i love mail. I asked Kimber what was in it and she started telling me "there's magazines and..." then i hear my mom in the background yelling and kimber laughing saying "I didn't know it was a secret" that made me laugh so hard. I miss laughing with them and hanging out with my sister and talking to my mom and dad and playing with zippers ears, and being in my room and then having my sisters come in and visit me , it's the best. But now i have a better attitude and i will make the time i have left last and stick with me forever.

I have decided i want a fancy life, and i can't settle for "cheap" things. I like expensive things. I can't help it. So i know i'm going to have a good job that i love to pay for my perfect life. (perfect in my way). Not that i'm obsessed with money but , i just love money . Italy is crawling with fancy ladies wearing chanel bracelets and silky scarves and black stilletoes . It's just so inspiring.
So today dinner was fantastic i had a paniana (i can't remember how to spell it) .Chad says he's going to set up a stand of these sandwich things in California.I'd buy them. I've had them before but this one was delicious. Its like a thick tortilla folled with mozarella cheese and mine had rochola in it. (it's a kind of lettuce like food) . I loved it. Then the paniana delicacy for dessert, which is nutella folled in the yummy thick tortilla bread. Matteo said since it was my first time having one i could have the biggest piece. it was delicious. I love nutella anyways so i was in love. Yum Yum.
So back to Imola in a couple of minutes. We're waiting for the kids to get back from the circus. I kind of wanted to go but then i didn't. I was invited but it just wasn't appealing. I thought back in my head of how i read articles on animal cruelty in the circus. It kind of made me mad. But i also wanted to stay home and take a shower and use the computer to check on facebook how many people said happy birthday so far lots! i love people wishing me happy birthday it's like little presents from people!



July 28th Thursday
Today started out gloomy and boring. But it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable. Days like this make me happy that I came to Italy. We had a good lunch, and I finished my book The Time Travelers Wife , now I’m reading Eat Pray and Love. It starting out amazing I can’t wait to finish it. We road our bikes around the piazza outside our beach house, and then I was informed we were going out for a pizza for dinner. I was so excited. That put me in the best mood ever. I love going out for a pizza. I got a pizza with mushrooms, zucchini , tomatoes, rucola, and mozzarella cheese. It wasn’t my favorite but it filled my hungry belly. I washed it down with some white wine afterwards. I felt so fancy. The adults always offer it to me. I don’t know why. Just to be polite or maybe… ah nothing. Today was just wonderful. After dinner we ordered a sorbet , I got a chocolate cup . Then we were off to the little kid race track. My favorite place, it’s hilarious to watch the kids . Especially when they hit each other or cut each other off it’s like the real highway roads. Gillian let me jump on with her car with her last two tokens left. It was so fun . I felt like a kid again I was laugh my head off Tommy and Kiko were trying to run into the back of us . They said they had horse power and I replied we have girl power! They didn’t quite care or get the phrase I think . It was so fun. But after the tokens were gone and my legs were puffy and red from mosquito bites we walked back home. Then we heard music from the Park Hotel (every week they have a karaoke night outside and play the music really loud) then we started dancing to “It’s Time for Africa”. If I can get the video on here I will. Everyone was getting along and it was just the best night.

What's that word again, oh yea homesick.

Sunday July 24th
I worked out today it made me feel really good. But only for a short time. I'm feeling depressed. It's annoying. I had an awesome day yesterday and i'm so happy to be in Italy but i just want to go home. I don't feel like traveling in August. I'm sick of reading books and not having the internet accessable.
I miss my family and friends and boyfriend of course but i also miss a lot of other stuff.
Going to Smith's to shop
My car
My bed
Not having to work every second

City of Water

Day 31 Saturday
I am tired and grouchy, and Gillian is getting on my nerves . ( i still love her thought) . We woke up early early as always to get to our destination, the city of Venice! I rested my eyes in the car and was almost asleep but i was always woken up by something. My head dropping off my shoulders, people screaming, bumps in the road, and when the car stopped. But it was worth it.When we got there i was in complete aw. It was fantastic. I took a spur of pictures. Walking around reminded me of Florence , except there was water ways everywhere! And no cars! Down our first street a man greeted me while sitting in a lawn chair he was wearing a red striped shirt and he said "ciao bella! Come sta? Biene?" While we were all walking . I replied "biene!" and was questioning his outfit.I asked what he was trying to sell me and it was a gandola ride.So i guess to operate a gandola you need a license. and it is illegal to drive one without one. That's when Silvia told me he was an illegal gandola driver. The legit ones wear a dark blue stripped shirt. He was being nice so that we would risk our safety to ride with him. Italy is so unique.
There was so many little chinese shop owners. It was just like China Town. I was warned by Silvia not to buy leather bags from the Chinese. Because it could be fake and they enslave Chinese people into making them. I finally found my leather bag. It was the perfect color and a unique style. I screamed when i found it. I'm glad i found it on our way back so i didn't have to carry it around.

But to more cooler things. The architecture was outrageous. I read this Italian guide book that Chad has and seeing the things in person is so much better. We went to Murano first, we got on a boat and in 15 minutes we were at our destination. My head was kind of spinning. I think i get sea sick now . We saw a master glass maker , melt glass and shape it! He made an elegant pot and a dolphin. The style of the jewelry at the shops wasnìt really my forte. I did find one thing i really loved but it was 65 euro and it seemed too fragile. It was a necklace with little shiny beads inside of a clear glass sphere. It was really beautiful but looked insanely delicate. Now that i think about it i wish i would of bought it.

We were going to go on a gondala ride but for all 5 of us it was 130 euro. I was disappointed but id rather be walking around going where i want then having to sit on a slow boat ride. Maybe one day .

We went into a catholic church and i instantely felt calmed and felt all tingly. It was the weirdest feeling, maybe im turning into a psychic or a medium. In the church the apostle Marco is supposedly in his coffin behind the podium of a chapel. With Silvias sweater wrapped around my bare shoulders we went and walked around to his grave. The church was amazing. The ceiling was all mosaics but the pictures looked like paintings. That would of been a huge project for someone to create. We were going to light a candle for the kids grandma ( also chandlers grandma) to remember her. but there was no candles available. All of them were lit. After we went on our way after hours of amazing sights we all hoped on the train , got to the car and headed home.
Today was amazing.

July 22nd

Day 30 Friday
I'm watching what women want. it is hilarious. Tomorrow bright and early were going to Venice. We're driving for two hours. Not excited. But i have my book The Time Travelers Wife. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM. I can't wait to take millions of pictures.

Drunk With Love for This Country

Day 28 Saturday
I’m not entirely sure of the day this is. I’ve lost track. I’m currently at the desk typing on the computer. The window is open and outside I hear the neighbours laughing and the smell of their cigarettes are being brought in by the wind. It feels so good outside. The whole day was blazing hot. I stayed inside most the day and drank tea and watched an episode of the Rachel Zoe Project. Today was a relaxation day. In the afternoon we all went on a bike ride downtown to the meat market. “Welcome to heaven!” Tommy said. It was disgusting. It was all so red after 10 minutes I had a splitting headache. Then we went around town and Silvia stopped in a store by the huge plaza. The plaza is where they have the flea market. So the kids road their bikes around and I went window shopping. These ballet flats I wanted are 50 percent off. After tomorrow if I don’t find the leather bag I want im going to buy those shoes. There’s purple or dark green, and they have a pointed toe and sparkly jewels on the front. As I was riding back around on my bike I heard the most beautiful music. The sound was hitting all the buildings and made an echo effect all around the shops. It was even more elegant because the guy was playing a harp. He was clean cut , didn’t look like a starving musician. I got out the camera and snapped a picture. Then it was time to go. I decided to go on my own bike ride and ended up at the mall. I found a start printed blouse that was the same material of a dress I wanted back at the beach house mall. It was 60% off. Only 7 euro so I bought it. The next thing on my list of wants is Dior mascara. Its 30 euro a tube but it’s worth it. I wish I had my visa card , actually maybe it’s a good thing I don’t have it. Otherwise I would have bought the whole mall. I hope my suitcase can fit all of my things. Today I kind of got homesick but only for a little bit. After riding my bike around town the loneliness left and I felt calm and relaxed.
I started a new book. It’s called “The Help”. It’s written how an uneducated black women would talk back in the 40’s . It’s really bothering me. I feel like it’s ruining my English. But the book is addicting, so I can’t stop now. I heard they’re making a movie too. Have I mentioned I love reading. I can’t get enough of it. I’m so excited to go back home and tell everyone how Italy was. But I don’t want to leave just yet. In August I’m going to make a plan to travel as many places as possible. I really want to visit France, but that might be too far a train ride. The other negative thought is I don’t want to be by myself.
Day 29 Sunday
Florence was amazing. All I wanted to do was buy everything I saw. After an hour or two train ride we got to Florence. I was in “aw” the whole time. To me it kind of felt like China Town in California where everyone has those little shops and they all pretty much sell the same souvenirs. But this was Italy, and I was much more impressed. Walking around was enough for me. I didn’t want to be kept in a museum. I wanted to be on the streets . Our first stop was an ice cream parlour, yum yum. I got my usual caffe flavour. I wasn’t really hungry but I was in Florence and I thought what the heck. Edwardo and Guila are so funny , I’m so glad they came with me. They can’t travel with me anymore. Both of them are going on trips at the end of this week, even till August.Today was a blast though. We were walking along side a river and I notice these locks on a ramp. I ask Guilia what the deal is and she says “lover put their names on the locks , and throw the key into the river. Making their love last forever , so it can never be broken. “ That was the cutest thing I ever heard. It instantly made me think that me and chandler had to do this someday. And the cool thing is , no one cares to remove them. People got the idea from a recent movie but when I told Chad he said it was around in Rome in the 80’s . After walking around a bit we went out for lunch. The waiter was really friendly and spoke English. I tried to order spaghetti with tomatoes and basil, but I butchered thee Italian. He just smiled and said if you don’t try you’ll never learn. He asked what we wanted to drink and I said water. He frowned and jokingly said “you will have wine , and like it”. Later after gulps of wine I wasn’t done with my spaghetti he told me “I had to finish my plate, it was the Italian way and I was in Italy so I had to follow the rules.” I laughed and tried to explain that the spaghetti was expanding in my stomach and surprisingly he understood. Then he replied “You talk too much while you are eating”. It made me laugh. Then Guilia sweetly said “ You don’t have to finish if you don’t want to.” It made me laugh. After that everything was making me laugh. Guilia kept saying I was a little drunk. I couldn’t believe it. I guess I did feel super happy. But I’ve randomly been in this kind of mood all my life and never had drank. I kept telling them I wasn’t and they would say you don’t know you never have been before. And they would laugh and say “ don’t tell Silvia you got drunk”. That just made me laugh more. Then while we were walking I freaked out when I saw IT! It was an H&M I was in heaven . We went in and I bought some skinny jeans, they are so beautiful , and a shirt I wanted to buy a while ago that they still had on sale, and a cute tank top, and a makeup hello kitty bag. For everything it was 30 euro. I love sales. Edwardos face was so funny while me and Guilia were shopping, he looked so bored and misplaced. We also stopped in this fancy mini mall with 6 floors. The first floor with makeup, and then on expensive clothing.Guilia helped me pick out a tie for chandler. I was so glad she was there, she helped out a lot . I decided to get him a plain stripped tie. I could see him wearing it, he doesn’t care for strong patterns. And this tie is sexy. Just like him . I miss American humour. I’ve been meaning to buy some dior mascara so I bought a tube down stairs. Then we were off roaming around. We started walking back to the train station then looked at the times and we were 2 hours early. So we went back around and went on another ice cream trip. It was delicious this time I got hazel nut and cinnamon. Then we walked around and I saw some bracelets , and I bought a scarf and some post cards, I also bought a keychain for Jaime (he asked me if I would get him one because he collects them). It doesn’t even feel like I worked at Barbacoa. Everything but a few things are slipping my mind , it feels like a dream. Then we went to a bar and they got a drink but I had already boughten water , then we just sat around and talked. That’s when I realized it was so fun to bug Edwardo he makes the funniest faces me and Guilia would just laugh. He kept telling me he didn’t speak English when I would ask him a personal question like “how many times have you been drunk, and how many girls have you kissed.” Hilarious. Then they helped me find stamps for my post cards and we were off on the train. It was a long train ride everyone was so tired. I read a couple chapters of my book and now im on the computer typing this entry in. The neighbors that were out yesterday are outside now having dinner and chatting about their day. The family friends of Silvia that I met at the beach house are over right now and they brought their new puppy. It is a cute Labrador. I played with it for a while, it is so cute . I want to keep it!Well tomorrow I have work Ciao Ciao.

Tommorrow Hopes /Saturday 16th 2011

Tomorrow in Florence i want to find a major leather bag. And im only buying a bag if it's exactly what i want. If i don't find what i want , im not settling! I keep wanting to spend my money but i have to save it. The train tickets will be about 60 euro. so that will leave me with 90 euro to spend on a bag. Wish me luck.






I also need to find a chanel bangle. Then my list of wants will be complete!



oh and i need to get chandler a tie.

Back in Imola

DAY 28 friday
I went shopping today. They have a promode store here. I love that store with all my heart. So i didnt know we were staying in imola for 4 days or so .So that means i packed nothing. My camera not even chargered. The grandma tried to tell me a couple days ago but i thought something completely different. But Silvia was very helpful letting me borrow pajamas , buying me a tooth brush , and taking me to the mall to find necessities. It's all good now. Im not stressed anymore. I'm borrowing their camera and im going to Florence on Sunday with Guila and Edwardo.

DAY 27 thursday
Just me Nona and Gillian. The boys went home from dentist appointments. It's been really fun, so much easier to keep track of one little whippersnapper. Me and Gillian had a girls day walked around downtown played in the water fountains , and these water jets that were on the sidewalk, and we went to this little kiddie area where there was a rope you could swing on. Very fun. Nona gave us money so we got a popsicle and then went home for a delcious pasta lunch. Later that night we went out for pizza , i love pizza. Then i had a coffee sorbet for dessert. It was delicious. The fun wasnt over yet. We took Gillian to this little arcade and they had these cars you could drive in for kids around this track. It wasnt bumper cars, so when Gillian got smashed into by this italian boy she started yelling at him in italian it was the funniest thing. He didnt even listen to her , he ignored her and then kept cutting her off around the track. Me and Nona laughed so hard haha.