2011 Recap

Love & Marriage: After over 11 years of dating, Kevin and I finally tied the knot in May. The day was amazing, although it was a little warm. Looking back, are there things I would change? Absolutely! But then again, nothing turns out perfect and I am completely happy with how everything turned out. I'm still at the stage where I look at our wedding pictures on a weekly basis because I love them so much. I always tell Kevin I could do it all over again (with him, of course) and he is not in agreement. He still thinks we should have went to Vegas!

May 29, 2011

Retirement or Not: In 2010, if you would have asked me what Kevin and I would be doing in 2011, my answer would have sounded a lot like this..."Kevin is going to retire from hockey after this year. Then once the honeymoon is over, we'll start looking for a house and jobs. We are really looking forward to some stability and having a place to call home."

Well, obviously it didn't turn out that way. We had good intentions and had actually started looking at places in Chicago. Then, Kevin got a call a few weeks before the wedding telling him about the job opportunity in Italy. We went back and forth over what to do and ultimately made the decision to pack our bags once again. The way we see it, we have our whole lives to work. We are still young and have nothing tying us down so we might as well do it while we can. Some people think we are crazy and some people envy us. Regardless, we always make the decision based on what we want and we couldn't be happier.

From Goalie Reiter...

To Coach Reiter

Italy: Things definitely didn't start off easy. We had issues (and are still having issues) with my visa. Kevin went over by himself and I followed two months later. Since arriving here, things are great! Our little town is amazing, our apartment is cute, and we are enjoying every minute of our time here. Kevin spends a lot of time at the rink being a coach, but we still manage to do and see a lot. Whether it is going into town for coffee or heading to Innsbruck for the day, we have a blast. I'm also lucky to have another North American wife here with me. It is always nice to have someone who is in the same situation as you.

We have 5 months left here and are looking forward to visitors coming in March. We have also planned some trips for just ourselves in late April/early May when Kevin is done coaching.

The clock tower in Vipiteno

Our apartment

Pizza, Gelato, & Spritz

We didn't celebrate Christmas the traditional way, but we still had an amazing time! We took off for Venice on December 24 at 8:00am and made it all the way there without getting lost once (we do not have a GPS). Instead of driving into Venice, we parked in the Mestre and took the train in. We were nervous about whether or not the water buses were going to be running on Christmas Day and couldn't find information anywhere so we opted for the train since we knew for a fact it was running. And at €1.20 a person, you can't beat the price!

Like I stated in my earlier post, we had no plan once we got there so we decided to walk to our hotel instead of taking a water bus. We knew it was a bit far, but we wanted to stop along the way and take pictures. We didn't have a map and just followed the signed to San Marco (where our hotel was located) and it took about an hour (with stopping at the Rialto Bridge). Once we checked in, we dropped our bags and went back out.

Our first order of business was to find the pizza place we ate at the first time we were here. The slices are huge, cheap, and thick crust (so sick of thin crust pizza)! It took me no time and we were there. Alleluia...it was as good as I remembered. And because pizza wasn't enough, we each grabbed a scoop of gelato.

The place was right next to our hotel...dangerous!

Kevin enjoying his Frutti di Bosco (fruit of the forest) gelato in the rain.

It started to rain pretty hard so we decided to take a break at the hotel for an hour. We let our feet have a breather and watched some BBC (Kevin watched it through his eyelids). Since it had gotten a bit colder, we put on our layers and headed back out. Our first stop was St. Mark's Square because I wanted some pictures at night, but since I am still learning the specific of my fancy new camera, they didn't turn out too great. I was able to get a few good ones at the Rialto Bridge though. I guess I better start studying for my next trip to Venice in March so I can get the shots I want.

St. Mark's Square

Rialto Bridge

After my unsuccessful attempt at taking some nighttime pictures, we decided to grab something to eat. We ended up walking around for an hour looking at menus, playing the game where neither of us want to make a decision. And it isn't like there are a lot of choices. We finally decided to drink our dinner. As we were walking by a bar by our hotel (checking out the food options), a friendly Ukrainian man told us to come in for a drink and we did. Kevin had a Spritz and I had some type of strawberry/champagne drink. And along with complimentary snacks, American Football was playing! We ended up staying for 3 drinks and met two other couples from Dallas.

Thank you for the suggestions, Mr. Ukraine.

No matter where we are, I can always find American Football.

As much as we wanted to stay all night, we knew we were in for a long night so we ordered a sandwich and headed towards St. Mark's Basilica. At about 9:30pm, the people started coming in herds so we hopped in line. Luckily, it wasn't too cold and we only had to wait until 11:00 for the doors to open. We found a seat, but I would say about 1,000 other people had to stand. Luckily for us, the mass booklet was written in four languages (including English) so even though we had no idea what anyone was saying, we could follow along. Mass was beautiful, but long. About an hour in, people started leaving (which I think is so rude) and those who didn't leave, were drifting in and out of sleep. The ones who stuck it out with us, ended up getting out of St. Mark's Basilica at about 1:45am. It was totally worth it though!

On Christmas Day, we woke up exhausted, but ready to get back out and explore the city. The weather was gorgeous...clear skies, sun shining. We actually had to take off our coats because it was so warm. And despite being Christmas Day, the streets were packed with lots of people and cameras. For the most part, we just walked around until we made our way back towards the train station. We decided to have a slice of pizza and a scoop of gelato to celebrate Jesus' birthday and then we were off.

Buon Natale!

Ciao Venice! We'll see you soon!

Virtual Christmas Card

If you haven't already figured it out, you're not getting a Christmas card from Kevin and me. I really wanted to send them out since this is our first Christmas as a married couple, but somehow it slipped my mind. Now, on December 22, it is a little too late. But thanks to Picnik, I was able to design a Christmas card and I don't have to worry about whether or not it will make it to you in time for the holidays. So Merry Christmas family, friends, and random people that read my blog!

Christmas in Venice

After much debating, we have made a last-minute decision to spend Christmas in Venice. We are only able to stay one night since the boys practice on the 23rd and 25th (at night), but we are super excited. Our plan is to leave Vipiteno early on the 24th and drive to Venice. We can park our car outside the city and then take a train and water bus to our hotel. Our plan once we get there is to have no plan, which is hard for someone like me who likes to know what I'm doing and where I'm going at all times. The only reason we are doing this is because we have already been there and have seen the sites. Plus, we are sure lots of places will be closed for the holidays so we might just end up walking around for hours. The only thing we are definitely doing is midnight mass at St. Mark's Basilica. I cannot wait for it, although I've read that you have to get there about 2 hours early for a seat. I'll have to make sure I pack some treats for the wait!

We're a little nervous in regards to transportation because we haven't been able to find much information about whether or not public transportation will be running Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We emailed the water bus company and they told us what line to take, but didn't answer our question about their holiday schedule. It looks like we'll have to play it by ear. Fingers crossed that we don't have to spend a fortune to take a water taxi. I guess if all else fails, we'll just have to stay in Venice an extra night.

Pinterest Recipes Reviewed

I've been putting my Pinterest recipes to the test in order to get away from pizza and pasta. So far, I haven't been let down. Check out what I've been preparing in the kitchen.

Recipe 1: Hasselback Potatoes

I love, love, love potatoes! They are one of my favorite foods. The Hassleback, or Swedish Baked Potato, was an excellent change-up from our usual. They are simple to prepare and I enjoyed mine with a little bit of sour cream (or panna agra, as we like to call it here).

Recipe 2: Nutella Cookies

Since it is hard finding baking items here, I need recipes that are simple and don't ask for much. The Nutella Cookie recipe only has four ingredients and doesn't require a mixer. I followed it exactly as the recipe said except I had to add about a tablespoon of water to the mixture because it was a little crumbly. The final product was delicious!

Recipe 3: Eggplant Bruschetta

The eggplants here are huge and quite cheap. I've been using them quite a bit on sandwiches, in pasta, in salads, and as main courses. I paired the eggplant bruschetta with a penne in a creamy mushroom sauce. I thought it was great, but Kevin said I sliced the eggplant too thick. So, I guess the only change I would make to this recipe is slice the eggplant thinner (and that is only to please the husband).

The Best Just Got Better!

This morning I was rocking out to a little VH1 (Jump Start) while making pasta sauce and heard my favorite Christmas song "All I Want for Christmas is You" by Mariah Carey come on. I turned the computer near me to watch the video and then I saw him...Justin Bieber! Maybe I've been living under a rock for awhile and everyone in the world knows this, but I had no idea they redid this song as a duet. I'm pretty sure this just made my day. And I don't care if this post makes me sound like a 10-year-old girl. Merry Christmas to me!

Random

Kevin had off this morning, which hardly ever happens, so we went into town to get a coffee. And when I say morning, I mean like 11:00. We are still doing our coffee tour so we tried another new place today, the Hausler. The Hausler is our favorite place to get desserts and treats (they have amazing chocolate croissants), but we've never been in the cafe so we thought we would give it a try. Everything was going great until a random gentleman decided to come in and serenade everyone with his trumpet.

A trumpet...really? When I think of trumpets, I think of marching bands or jazz bands. The trumpet is not a romantic instrument like the violin or piano. Although, carrying a piano around would be difficult. I will give the guy an 'A' for effort and I appreciate him sharing his talent with us. But next time I have my morning latte, I'll take it without a side of trumpet.

The Sights at the Gym

Lately, I've been doing really well with getting to the gym at least four days a week. Most of the time, I really look forward to going, but not because I love the way I feel after a good workout or because I'm doing something productive. Instead, I love to people watch at the gym. Back home it is never this fun, but the gym here never disappoints.

The gym (located under our apartment) is pretty small. It has 3 treadmills, 3 bikes, and 1 elliptical. Plus, there are free weights and weight machines. There are also two large mirrors located by the free weights and the weight machines. No matter where you are, you can see everyone else in the gym. And this, I love!

In general, Europeans work out in the most random clothes ever. When we lived in England, I was baffled that people would work out in Keds or lift weights in jeans. Here in Italy, guys LOVE spandex and short shorts. And it seems as though women have never heard of sports bras. I know they have them here!

Last week, Kevin was at the rink and I headed down since it usually isn't busy in the afternoon. When I walked in, there was a younger couple. The guy had on his spandex and the girl had a full windbreaker warm up on. The whole time she was riding the bike, I kept wondering how hot she must be. Well, they left soon after I arrived...maybe they were tired of me staring at them. But I got a new Italian friend to watch so I didn't care. At first glance, he looked completely normal until he took off his jeans and sweater and revealed his unitard (with a t-shirt under it). But the head sweatband really made the outfit.

Not even Rob Pattinson would look good in one of these.

When Kevin got home, I couldn't wait to tell him. He didn't believe me though. He said I was a liar and there was no way someone would wear that to the gym. But today, Kevin had to eat his words when my Italian friend, complete with his unitard and head sweatband, showed up to the gym while we were there.

If the Pope likes it, it has to be good

Apparently, the Pope is a big fan of Sterzing Vipiteno Yogurt. Rumor has it, he has it shipped to him because he loves it so much. Well, I love it too! Just another thing the Pope and I have in common. Kevin and I are making our way through all the flavors and so far the only one we haven't liked is blueberry (which is weird since it is one of my favorite flavors of yogurt back home).

My favorite flavor and one that is not available in the States is Stracciatella. I'm not entirely sure what the flavor of the actual yogurt is...maybe vanilla, but it has chocolate pieces in it. Stracciatella yogurt is good in the morning for breakfast, in the afternoon for a snack, or at night for dessert. You just can't go wrong with it.

Obviously, this is me enjoying my Stracciatella first thing in the morning.

As luck would have it, Sterzing Vipiteno Yogurt is one of the sponsors for Kevin's hockey team. At Tuesday's game, the other wife and I were talking about our love for this amazing yogurt and how we should see if we can get a tour of their factory. I don't know who we need to talk to or know, but one thing is for certain...this tour needs to happen.

Snow Day!

Since the first day I arrived, I've been looking forward to the snow. I would wake up every morning and the first thing I’d do was look out the bathroom window to see if we had any. And every morning, I've been disappointed...until yesterday!!! I'm not sure why I'm so excited since I've always lived in places that have a fair amount of snow during the winter. I guess it is because snow looks so much prettier here in the mountains of Vipiteno than in the flat Midwest.

With the snow, it is definitely a lot colder. Since arriving I've been used to daytime temperatures of 5-10C or 41-50F, but today I got in the car and it said -2C or 28F. The snow has also brought the tourist. The hotel property we live on went from a ghost town to being packed in less than 24 hours. When we were driving through town today, the parking lots were packed with buses, the ski lifts were running, and the walking street was packed.

And the most exciting news of all...I got to break out my new snow boots today!

Krampusumzug: The South Tyrolean Way

Kevin and I were super-excited to check out Krampusumzug ('Krampus' for short). And then we started hearing a little more about how it all worked and our excitement quickly turned to fear. We talked to some of the guys on the team who are from the area and they gave us two tips. Dress in old clothes and don't stand near the front of the group.

First off, I only bring one bag of clothes with me when I come over to Europe. I'm not going to waste precious space on old clothes. Secondly, why would I stand near the back of the group. How is a girl supposed to get good pictures of the Krampus standing in the back? In talking to the guys, I quickly realized why they gave us the two tip.

In Vipiteno, there are 25 Krampus who run down the walking street with their faces covered in black paint. From what I was told, the paint is practically impossible to get off. If they touch you, it is getting all over you whether you like it or not. Some also throw ashes into the crowds. Then, the Krampus use bundles of twigs to hit you with. If you are in town for Krampus, you are fair game.

Since we wanted to experience Krampus, but didn't want to ruin any of our clothes or get whipped, we went into town before the actual event started. We still got to see the Krampus (as they were whipping people) and came home nice and clean.

Kevin and Markus (one of the local guys on the team) with a Krampus whip.

The little girl in the yellow was not a fan of the miniature Krampus.

I absolutely love the facial expression of the guy in blue.

The Krampus

I'm pretty sure I would not be having the Krampus take pictures with my babies.

Hello December!

When I woke up this morning, I had so many things to look forward to. For starters, it is the first day for my Advent Calendar. I had never heard of them until we went over to England and they were everywhere, in all sorts of shapes and flavors. Now I HAVE to have one every year! Kevin told me, he would just buy me 25 candy bars, but it isn't the same. With an Advent Calendar, you have an excuse to eat candy for breakfast and I love having that little piece of candy to look forward to.

December also brings the holidays. Of course, we are sad that we won't be spending Christmas with our family. And it looks like Kevin has zero days off, but the Christmas season in Europe is so much fun. Christmas Markets take over towns. We have only been to the one in Vipiteno, but we're planning on making our rounds in the coming weeks. At these street markets, you can purchase local crafts, fill your belly with fattening treats, and stay warm with Glühwein (mulled wine). It also gives me a chance to expand my Christmas ornament collection (we get an ornament in every city we visit).

On Monday, we are going to Krampusumzug. It is a tradition that takes place every year on December 5. Men dress up as Krampus, a demon-like creature who punishes bad children. Think of Krampus as the opposite of Santa (or St. Nicholas as he's called here). Apparently, the Krampus roam the old town and Christmas Market frightening people with chains and bells. Here's an idea of what I'll be looking at Monday night.

December also brings the end of Movember so Kevin no longer has a schnauzer (moustache in German) as of right now. Yes, I was starting to get used to it, but that doesn't mean I thought it looked good. I'm happy to have my husband back to normal, at least for a few months.