This is us as we're trying to survive the arrival of Autumn sleepiness and the oncoming of Winter responsibilities. We are happy because this week our bedroom should be delivered, I should take and pass my driving test, and it should snow for the first time! Pasquale says hi to everyone of course and we are looking forward to any near future skype sessions!

Who ever saw cuter cousins?
Ever seen anyone as famous as this?
Oh what fun it is to ride...
Matsen Italian night
Our failing Wallstreet...

All aboard the Kid Theodore's bus...
Park walk with Dad and Diana.
Kids more than ready to hit the wake!
Good times in the back of Uncle Jo's truck.
St. George memories...

This is why we love the States!
Doughnuts are man's most ingenious concoction.
Nothing like pure family time!
Kenton's greatest fans!

Grandma was so pleased to see us at the family BBQ, she could hardly say a word. I cried...

Pasquale thinks we look alike, what do you say?

With every bad there is always one good that follows...and vice versa. I went to the high school yesterday and was able to civilly talk with the administrative director about my contract renewal. We came to an agreement which is in my favour. They accepted my proposal and it seems as though I will be starting this coming Monday, if everything goes as planned that is. As most of you know, Italy is the land where nothing quite goes as planned. Now getting back to the vice versa part. I was planning on enjoying my last few days as a free woman, when BAM, I caught a fever bug. My temperature was running at 101 yesterday afternoon so I treated myself to some warm milk and honey and crawled right in bed. My husband came home and made me some fantastically savory vegetable soup, what we call Brodo, and then I hopped back into bed to begin reading Gulliver's Travels (a book club assignment that I keep putting off, if any of you have read it you'll know why). Pasquale called all of my students for today's lessons telling them that I was to stay in bed in order to get well quickly. He is a genius when it comes to dirty work. This morning I feel a heap better and as soon as I eat my daily grapefruit I'm sure I'll be good to go. To make a long story short: Just the thought of going back to those high school halls makes my temperature rise! I did however catch Kenton on his birthday. His famous words were "But Megan how are you going to eat dinner with a thermometer in your mouth?"

Here are some of our summer vacation pictures, dedicated to all of you of course, because we miss you so much and always reminisce about our time together. Erin, this morning I caught Pasquale browsing your blog...for the illienth time!

We celebrated the 4th of July by hanging up a flag and having a big bbq. The next day a group of us went camping up in the mountains at a place called Lake Scanno, you can see our little blue tent that we had set up in the yard to spray it off and clean before the actual outing, girls only of course. Torrie, myelf, Fernanda, and Tasha. Pasquale and I went out for a picnic under the pine trees. This is a picture perfect demonstration of what it's like trying to succor to the needs of both my husband's feet and our doggy.

more recently

i'm just doing the typical blog write-post-and approve...please have patience as i learn how to make our blog more exciting. the important thing is to see us though, so here are some more recent fotos (aaron note the phonetic spelling here of the word photos). Pasquale is in the garden, on the couch with some friends, positioned well to show-off our built in arm chairs. It was a couch we long awaited but a couch that is currently only used by Megan. It is too slim for pasquale...and of course Zula is not allowed to hop up. On the far right you can see some of my crazy high school students. We had an end of the year pizza night.

when family came

Surely you have all seen these fotos of when the family came but it was sure a historically memorable week! This is a place near our house where one can look out at this ever-growing city and the infinite-seeming Adriatic Sea.

signing for the mortgage

We have let so much time pass without filling you all in on a detailed description of the take-off after August 30, 2007...so here are some images of key events...

Here we are at the Notary after the signing for our home. This is the couple who kept the house so paradisically spotless and organized. When you see it now you realize that the people who occupy its spaces are stretched to the limits with time and patience...