Week 2 at the Farmhouse

This place is magical. We wake up to the sun rising over the olive orchards and rolling hills off in the distance. There are often jack rabbits on the lawn also watching the sun come up. We thought the girls would be sleeping in since it is so quiet and the wood shutters make the rooms pitch black. But no, they've actually been waking up between 5:00-6:15am......yikes! The first 20 minutes of the early rise is a bit torturous but once the coffee's in hand all is good and well. Our days consist of relaxing, reading books, playing matching games, running through the olive groves and puddles, playing soccer on the lawn between storms, painting, cooking (a lot!) and of course, roll playing. Georgia's favorite movies are the Toy Story series so we see a lot of Jessie and Buzz around here. Yesterday, Georgia came out of the bathroom with no pants or underwear on, her elephant pajama top, down jacket, ski hat, a beaded necklace that she strung earlier that morning, her butterfly backpack, a plastic bag on each foot (the kind that are next to most Italian toilets for feminine hygiene disposal), and yelling, "Yeeeeee Haaawww!" She was apparently Jessie but we didn't see a resemblance. I think I know what her Halloween costume will be next year!
Last week we drove to the town of Cortona (where Under The Tuscan Sun took place). It sits on top a very high hill and is just beautiful! It just happen to be one of those days where Georgia was whining about everything and when she didn't get her way she would cry. And cry. And cry. Francesca did not want to be in the stroller and when she walks, she does NOT want to be told where to go (hmmmm, wonder where she get that?). When you try to guide her, she just quietly lays on the ground. First of all..........YUCK! Second of all..........  we have our hands full! But then she smiles and melts our hearts (ya, we're suckers!). For whatever the reason, on this day, I did not have the patients I am known to have. I WAS DONE, to put it lightly. I had to keep telling myself that every mother has these days and it's okay. I think I'll go back with my mom when she comes next week. It was such a charming walled town with views of vineyards, olive farms, churches, and rolling hills filled with Italian cypress trees that lined driveways to old villas. Autumn in Tuscany is full of passionate and energetic reds, yellows and oranges, so the rolling hills are pieces of art right now.

We are heading into Siena now. I'll post more in the next two days.

Much love to you all.
xoxo
Pictures of our adventure.....
http://web.me.com/tquackenbush/Site_3/Italy.html