Gran Canaria and Rome

The Collosseum

The Four Rivers Fountain

The kids at the beach with their daddy.

Porto Morgan...a beautiful little sea port with cute restaurants.

Hanging out on our balcony

Maspalomas Sand dunes...that is Chad on top of a HUGE sand dune.

I just realized that I had not posted photos of our family trip to the Gran Canaria island and our Chad and Brenda trip to Rome.

The Canaria Islands were nice, and inexpensive. The islands are a GREAT option for families who want to get away and relax. People do not go there to tour, but to relax. As a military family, we REALLY needed to just hang out and enjoy the sun. We went in May(a few weeks after Chad came home from his deployment) and stayed one whole week. The islands are only about 90km off the coast of Africa. The most popular time to go is at Christmas time, when the average temperature is about 80 degrees.

Rome in July, not a great idea, but it was when Chad and I could go without the kids. Bennett was on a Club Beyond Beach Break trip to Italy and the girls stayed with our friend, Ellen. We left on a Friday morning and returned late Monday night. We were supposed to get home early on Monday, but the flight was delayed and then a man decided to smoke on the airplane, which caused a young girl to have an asthma attack. The man was arrested from the plane and the paramedics were able to help the girl. Anyhow, I absolutely LOVE Italy and everything Italian. Rome is gorgeous and humbling. Rome is over 2,700 years old...the United States of America is 234 years old, isn't that mind boggling? We saw so much in the three days that we were there, but I have to say, that my favorite spot in Rome was by the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi--The Four Rivers Fountain--located in the Piazza Navona. We stayed near the Spanish Steps in the best hotel that I have ever stayed in...it was decorated in a 1930's theme. The food was absolutely delicious, as was the wine. We got to see my friend and her husband on Saturday. They live in Italy two months of the year, as they are Italian. They both work for DoDDs and that is how we met way back in Germany. Rome is overwhelming, but one of my top favorite cities.