Lake Garda, Italy

Our last day in Italy was spent at Lake Garda. I chose the actual town of Garda because it was closest to our hotel and seemed like a good idea. My colleague spent the holiday in the more southern part of the lake and she said it was wonderful. I think Lake Garda is an area where you can't really go wrong... it's that lovely. 

I must admit that I was really proud of us this day because we drove the 40 or so minutes to the lake where we found parking, walked around, ate lunch and then headed back to the car to change when we decided it was warm enough for a dip in the water all without naps and/or meltdowns. 

I still don't know how this happened but it really made things easy. 

I mean, how can one not be happy when pizza and gelato are involved?
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Lake Garda

This part of the town reminded me a lot of Meersburg, Germany... next time I'm looking for this type of environment I'll head there... the drive time will be drastically reduced.

Rhett ate about 6 slices of pizza for lunch. I couldn't believe it but I was quite happy about it because he would only eat some banana and a yogurt at the hotel for breakfast which isn't enough for this busy monster. 

This pregnancy has me craving anything with coconut. I ate a coconut yogurt at our hotel each morning and then refused to stop at any gelaterias that didn't have coconut gelato. These flavors are Bounty (which is a candy bar here in Europe much like Mounds in the states) and stracciatella. Yum. 

I don't even want to think about my cholesterol right now...

After our afternoon of swimming, we drove back to Verona and hit up a small pizza place 'to go,' brought it back to our room and had a lovely little picnic dinner.

Topped off by gelato of course! 

(banana-which we didn't like- chocolate, mint, panna cotta, mango, and stracciatella again).

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My most favorite time of year...almost! (With Meatloaf takes Italy by storm)

Hard to believe it's almost that time of year again. 

I say that just about every year but this year I'm feeling particularly sentimental about it. 

This will be, without a doubt, my last German autumn. 

I'm not that tore up about it yet but I figure why wait until it's official to start celebrating? 

I'm in the fall spirit now. 

Plus, I see some red hued leaves on our tree (that or the poorly hydrated thing is officially dying), I'm sticking to the former.

To get things started, I pulled out my Pumpkin Pie candle and fall themed Italian pottery.

I also used the excuse of "cleaning out my fridge" to bake pumpkin oatmeal cookies and pumpkin streusel bread. I know there are more effective ways to clean the fridge but the return with my way is so much more fun.

It has also helped me ignore the fact that my husband is currently packing up his bags to leave... again.

I know, I know. You're thinking that he just got home... this is true. 

Apparently, wrangling a wild two year and dealing with an over hormonal pregnant woman aren't excitement enough for some people and they have to get their kicks repelling out of black hawks or some crazy stuff like that. 

I don't understand it myself so while he's busy doing that I will be at home eating kilos of pumpkin flavored baked goods. 

Gosh, I love fall. 

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Prior to the possibility of Chad attending this school, we had booked a little getaway to Italy. 

It was definitely good thinking booking it over a holiday weekend because it would have just been myself, Rhett and the dog on an 8 hour road trip in torrential downpours if we had made it one or two weeks later. Nothing says nightmare like the above mentioned elements all on the autostrade in northern Italy. 

Anyways, we started our trip early Friday morning and with only 2 short potty breaks and 1 brief stop in Nove for pottery we made it to our agriturismo in Verona. 

I chose this agriturismo because they allowed dogs and had a pool. The weather was not conducive to swimming but Rhett loved the place as it is also a working farm with horses, dogs, birds, cats, etc. It was about a 10 minute drive to downtown Verona and about an hour to Garda. 

We spent Saturday hating life while in a crowded Verona in the rain.

Meatloaf, however, was quite the celebrity and loved every moment of it. 

I've never been stopped so many times nor seen perfect strangers get on their knees (in the rain!) to pet a dog. I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said the chef from a restaurant came out to see Meatloaf and love on him. Everyone looked for confirmation that he was, indeed, a boston and when I said yes, they pretty much lost their minds. 

We spent the rest of our time lounging at the lake while eating our body weight in gelato.
I'm glad we got a little time with family since it's back to being just Rhett & me (it goes without saying that Meatloaf is here as well).

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Nove, Italy 

Verona, Italy 

Juliet's House (of Romeo and Juliet of course)

I just love it when a restaurant has basil growing in their flower boxes.

Photos of Garda to follow. 

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“You may have the universe if I may have Italy” 
― Giuseppe Verdi