Monthly Archives: July 2026

The Smiths go to Italy!

Posted in Family, Travel by

For our 20th anniversary this year, we decided to celebrate big. We had talked for years about someday going to Italy, and being married for 20 years seemed like a good enough reason for us to book a trip. Of course, with the boys being at the age they are, and having the appetite for Italian food that they do, there was no way we could go without them!

We started our trip with by flying into Rome. We stayed at the coolest Airbnb right by the Colosseum. Our host showed us a map where we could see that the building was actually an ancient training site for gladiators.

We somehow chose a record heat dome as our timing for visiting Italy, so we were hot and sweaty the entire time. We saw landmarks such as the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the Roman Forum, with the help of our water bottles, fans, and lots of gelato! Sightseeing at nighttime was much preferred.

After 3 nights in Rome we boarded the train to Florence. While Rome was full of history and rich food, Florence stunned us with its beauty around every corner. The art, architecture, music, and culture were amazing. Some of the highlights were climbing the Duomo tower (all 415 steps!), taking a pasta and gelato cooking class in Tuscany, and of course, seeing the statue of David.

After 3 nights in Florence, we once again hopped on the train to head to Venice. As soon as you exit the train station you catch your breath at the beauty of the canals and old buildings. We spent most of our time here wandering the beautiful old streets, getting lost, and popping into stores and gelaterias. My favorite moment from Venice was when we stopped into a tapas shop that our gondola guide had suggested. We were so excited to try the cicchetti and cheap pinot grigio when a flock of seagulls swarmed us and knocked it all out of our hands. I could not stop laughing!

What a gorgeous part of the world. We were so glad that our kids got to be a part of this adventure at this age. They loved learning about the history of the places we visited, taking pictures of the sites, and of course eating all of the delicious food. I can’t wait to explore more of Italy in the future! Ciao!

Brady-boo is 15!

Posted in Brady by

Our sweet B-man turned 15. He celebrated this special day by inviting over all of his friends for a summer kick-off pool party. It was awesome to see him in his element with all of his buddies and to see just how many people care about him. They all wrote such thoughtful messages in his cards and it showed us that the qualities we love about Brady, are the same ones his friends enjoy about him- his quirkiness, his knowledgeable brain that he uses to help his friends with math or teach them fun facts, his humor and inside jokes they share, and his kindness that makes him a safe friend to confide in or be themself around.

This year was full of challenges and successes for B. He scored a 5 on his first A.P. Exam. He competed on his school’s Robotics Team and performed the trumpet in the band. He expanded his friend group, spent time volunteering, and began learning Japanese. This kid loves movies, documentaries about movies, the Dodgers, collecting cards, Minecraft, history, and trying new foods. He is adventurous, brainy, patient, funny, kind, and has a great head of hair!! Next up, drivers ed! We love you lots, Brady-boo.