For those who want a little more excitement in their lives...

Mt. Etna is the largest active volcano in Europe. It has been erupting for half a million years. The first eruption took place in 1500 B.C. Mt. Etna is currently erupting. Gases and rock shoot up through the opening and spill over or fill the air with lava fragments. Eruptions can cause lava flows, hot ash flows, mudslides, avalanches, falling ash and floods. Volcanic eruptions have been known to knock down entire forests. These kinds of eruptions are called pyroclastic flows. Mt. Etna is a constant threat to the people who live on the island of Sicily. Over the years these people have suffered great consequences. Mt. Etna has also provided many advantages for the people of Sicily. Many people feel the benefits outweigh the danger and build their homes on the lower slopes of the volcano. Within several years, scientists hope to be able to pinpoint the exact time a volcano will erupt. Not to freak my family or friends out but I will be living next to this! Yikes!

Sydney

The cat got a little experimental when we were laying tile in our bathroom and I just happened to catch her at the right time. LOL Goofy cat...what is it about boxes that cats love? Anytime there is even the form of a box she just jumps right in there.

Batter Up

We are going to a game at Yankee Stadium! It's official, a friend of mine got the tickets for us this past week. How exciting! I have always wanted to go to a game here since I can remember. Her and her boyfriend will be going with us so they can show us all the stuff we would miss otherwise. I should be a lot of fun!

Our Home

This is a picture of our first house. I signed the paperwork to sell it on Friday. :o( I will be sad to let it go because I know we will both miss it. The rest of the pictures are of inside the house after all the work we did ripping stuff apart and fixing things and painting. It was a lot of work but now it is truly a beautiful house. We almost didn't want to sell it. :o) I just have to keep reminding myself that we will be in Italy for three years. It is really exciting. That helps me let go of the house. We have to sell the truck at the end of April because we can only take one car..that is another task I have to accomplish.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Have I mentioned how much I adore my husband? He surprised me so good this Valentine's Day! Actually he surprised me last night. Our house went on the market yesterday and already we had people who wanted to see it. They are writing a contract on it today from what I hear. We'll see what they come up with. Another couple want to look at it this afternoon. Anyway, we had to be out of the house so they could look at it so I had Luis meet me at the mall for dinner. I got there late because I got stuck in traffic. By the time I got there, Luis had eaten, I wasn't hungry, and the people had left the house...So I suggested we just head home. Before we left he walked me by the jewelry store and took me in and bought me the bracelet I wanted for Valentine's Day! He had bought it for me before but I traded it in on my engagement ring because I wanted a ring that was expensive. Two years later and I finally got it back! We went home in separate cars. I got home before he did. That never happens because he is a speed demon. He arrived about ten minutes after me with a dozen red roses and he put my bracelet on my wrist. Yea!!! What a wonderful husband!

Avenue Q

I purchased tickets for Luis and myself to a Broadway show called Avenue Q today. A friend of mine who lives in Manhattan said she heard it was good...So I guess we'll find out in April! It was decided that Broadway is something you must do when in New York City. I asked Luis which show he would want to see and he said, "I don't care as long as I get to go to the Yankee game on Friday." LOL So therefore the show was my pick...Still I didn't want to subject Luis to a night of boredom for him, so I selected a neutral show. He would have wanted to shoot himself if I had dragged him to see Chicago. :o) Actually I am glad I chose this particular show because I already know the story line for Chicago and I really wanted to see something I didn't know anything about.

New York City!

How exciting! Luis and I are going to spend a week in New York City at the end of April, right before we head to Italy! I have never been to the city so I can't wait to check it out. I want to see the statue of liberty, central park, times square, Broadway....All of it. But most importantly, Luis and I want to go see a ballgame at Yankee Stadium. That is the top priority on our list. Very exciting to say the least. We already booked our plane tickets so now I am just faced will the grueling task of finding a hotel. Luis and I are back and forth on this one...But I am still researching and, thank God for favors, I have a friend that lives in Manhattan and is scoping things out for me to find us a good rate. Hopefully she can spot something! I called my sister and told her we were going and asked her if she wanted me to pick her up anything. She said she wanted an "I <3 NY" t-shirt. LOL Silly.

It's February!

Wow, time sure flies when you have a ton of stuff to do! We are only a few months away from crossing the Atlantic Ocean and my list just seems to keep getting longer. The house goes on the market in a week! Yikes! It's all happening so fast! Of course Luis isn't home that much so most of it is on me. Although he has been helpful this week. He painted the front porch rails white and he is painting the porch tonight when he gets home. He layed the mulch in the yard and cut the grass. He's doing alright. It's finally Friday..This week flew by as they seem to be doing lately. We are supposed to be going to a party tonight (like I have time for that right now). Still, it will be nice to relax a little bit.