2013-03-17

Monkey Planet

The monkeys were indeed THAT way.
Took a trip to the magical Monkey Planet (http://www.teverolamonkeyplanet.it/dove_siamo.html), and the girls had a wonderful time (imagine Chuck E. Cheese's, but with a little Italian flair and no safety codes thrown in).  The only sad part was when we had to leave, because daddy was all out of coins.

Followed up this with the girl's first experience with a McDonald's Happy Meal. Ava had some chicken mcnuggets that tasted like they had been fried in movie theatre butter, and kylie had a Mc Grilled Cheese sandwich that she couldn't figure out whether she liked the mysterious circle prosciutto in it or not.

All in all, I don't think they've been missing out too much on Mickey D's. Their favorite part was the toy at the end, and the terrifyingly steep slide at the Play Place. Parenting Accomplished.

What are they looking at?
Look, Daddy, I'm FANCY.
She would stay here all year if I let her

She looks so graceful.
This mildly amuses me.
Whoaaah, girl!
Obligatory shot for Loretta
Silly Belly Button.
Got a Lil Captain in her.
Master of Her Domain.

P.S. Bonus Videos!
  

2013-03-15

Happy Birthday.... Cake.

To celebrate Lindsey's birthday this year, the girls and I made a cake.... These are the tragic, tragic results:

Starts out so cute and friendly...
Kylie sneaking some frosting.
Ava takes her turn on the stirring...
Still going well...
 Suddenly-- Cake ends up slightly burned due to mis-reading the Celsius temperature... so I cut around the bad parts-- tried to turn it into an octagon, but there ended up not being enough smeared frosting mixed with warm soft cake parts to cover the whole thing... so after a quick trip through the freezer, we turned it back into a rectangular abomination of a cakewreck.  And the girls dumped a pile of sprinkles on it  :)


Happy Birthday, sweetheart, come home soon!
-- Scott
Ran out of frosting.
Truer words have never been spoken.

Posted by Picasa

2013-03-13

Well That One Was a Freebie.

One example of the myriad of upsides to being here overseas.  Tonight, we had an impromptu dinner at the landlords' house and while enjoying some delicious spinach/pasta/mushroom foodstuff, the t.v. popped up with an image much like this... Il Nuovo Papa, which in Italian roughly translates to "Fourth Quarter Of The Super Bowl".  Not sure I've ever seen them this excited... :).

Of course, they're really rooting for an Italian Pope :)

-- Scott

2013-03-11

Daddy Day Care

+Lindsey had to fly back to the States for a few days, which means the girls & I have to fend for ourselves... So we dropped Linds off at the airport in Rome, and after being inconsolable for approximately 7 seconds, the girls decided that some juice might just be the cure...
Ring around the gas station Rosey

Next, Kylie requested an adventure with forests and mountains and a place to play.  Luckily, I knew just the spot that was also on our way home: Gaeta.
Climbing The Mountain.
Who me?  I's just esploring the forest, daddy...
The park there also has a great circuit of exercise stations which the girls used to full effect...
She was making fabulous monkey noises at this point... 
Easy Day.


So proud of herself.


Kylie being a good big sister and helping her baby puppy sister up to the top of the slide :) 
Planting some flowers.
Not pictured:  Kylie discovering the joys of relieving herself in the woods, the girls eating gelatto in the rain and begging me to take them onto the yellow boat parked in the harbor.


That's not to say there weren't a few rough parts-- Ava started to run up to a random Italian lady who was walking her dog and called "momma, momma, its my momma!" and the girls stumbling upon a young, amorous couple who I'm sure were just searching for a little more privacy than two screaming kids chasing pigeons  (they quickly headed back to their car and left without a word). But all in all, I think they're coping well with having their momma a continent away. :)

-- Scott

2013-03-04

I'll see your date-rapey, and raise you statutory-rapey

Back at Christmastime, we had a nice discourse on Baby it's Cold Outside.  Is it a relic of a simpler/ more terrifying time?  A playful date that just sounds weird when Zooey Deschanel sings about it?


"Oh", you think upon seeing the video, "this isn't date rapey, this is just a sweet saucy little couple!"  Or maybe you think, "Lindsey, we know you <3 equality, stop pushing your gay agenda on us!"  Either way, I think we can all agree it seems consensual at the very least :-)

After a thorough (disturbing) listening to Young Girl, I was hoping for a similar video revelation.  Maybe it's not so bad, I told myself.  Maybe he means she's young at heart...or maybe immature... or maybe some other thing so I won't feel guilty listening to this song that I totally love?

 (tip: don't type 'young girl video' into your search engine)  

No real answers, just ever so many more questions. Such as:

  • What facial expression is he going for?  Seductive?  Remorseful?  
    • Does he realize it's neither of those things?
  • WHY IS THAT BABY DOLL COMING AT ME?!?
  • Where did the band find a barber who specialized in sexual predator facial hair?
  • NOW THERE ARE BEARS, TOO?!?  
  • Why have I not turned this video off yet?
  • Am I going to continue loving this song despite all evidence?
    • Almost certainly (sigh)

And now, lastly but certainly not least-ly, a mash-up!  A mash up of songs... of themes from this post... of Mr. Shuester's amazing talent/ abysmal judgement.