We survived yet another fun adventure to Venice, Italy for our 5 year wedding anniversary! We rented a car and got to go styling in a Mercedes through the Alps. It was about a 7 hour drive. Before, we had gone around the Alps, but not cut through them. WOW! So amazing and beautiful!!! The coolest thing is all the castles we got to see, at least 10 or more. I can’t believe there are so many and that people still live out there on the mountains like they do. It is so remote and looks like it would take a special person to be able to handle being so far away from everything. I was sitting there thinking – where do they get their groceries?! Then to get furniture up there and how did they even get the materials up there to build that place!? Just crazy! On the drive we also had to go over some crazy tall bridges where you look down and it looked like little stars below us, but it was really house lights from the town below. Yes we were up that high, nothing on either side of the bridge. YIKES! The lakes and rivers were turquoise blue, mountain tops with snow on them and trees were just starting to change for fall – so tranquil.

The hotel we stayed at was right outside of Venice (much cheaper). From the hotel, you take a bus into Venice. Then from there you walk – no cars in sight in the town past the bus and massive car lot. The best I can describe the city is like we were on a film studio set. It just did not feel real. Everything was so old and run down (in a cool way), shop upon shops, restaurants and narrow little walkways. It seemed as if no one lived there but the people who worked these stores. It was full of tourists and a lot of Americans. We did meet one guy who helped us with directions and he said there were a lot of college students there too. I asked Ronnie if he could ever live there and he quickly replied no, it is too far off from technology and life as we know it. It is said that since 1797 the city has pretty much been frozen in time.

Cool stuff to buy were the masks from Carnevale, Murano Glass things, scarves, jewelry, and clothing. The Carnevale masks were so overwhelming because there were so many of them and so many sellers. The shopping was a little intimidating – it really seemed like that was all there was to do in Venice and you had to be prepared to spend some cash – very expensive!

Alexis had a blast as usual. She had many around her loving on her, waving at her, etc. This old man in this one shop said that many Italian men would be flocking to her when she is older with those dark eyes and smile. So funny. This group of American grandmas could not get enough of her – she made them miss their grandchildren.

So we’re in the hotel and I was brushing my teeth and noticed something funny - we had mix of American, French, German, and Italian bath/beauty products. How confusing it must be for the cleaning lady to try to figure out where we are from! Hehehe! Well the Italian stuff was their products so that would knock that out.

On the 14th was our wedding anniversary. I can’t believe it has been 5 years already. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful, smart and caring husband/father. He surprised me in Venice with a beautiful necklace and card in the perfect setting with a violin playing in the background. Thank you God for these five years – we are looking forward to many more!

I will write more later; I am sick and need sleep. I posted the photos for Week 14 and Week 15 (the Venice Trip). I will post videos tomorrow. Much love – Us3