Kevin got home on Saturday and we've been busy since the minute he walked in the door. We're trying to plan one last trip before we leave, get everything squared away back home before we get there (insurance, jobs), clean and pack up the apartment, and get all our loose ends tied up here.
One of the first things we needed to figure out was our flights home. When Kevin came to Italy, the team booked him a return flight for May 3. But when we booked my flight, we booked me returning on May 17. Obviously, we realized we would have to change one, depending on how long Kevin ended up working. Since Kevin went away with the National Team and we really haven't had a chance to travel by ourselves, we decided we would switch his flight to the same day my flight was on.
Yesterday morning, Kevin called US Airways to try to arrange everything and was told that all the flights on May 17 were sold out, but he could fly on the 16th or 18th. His other option was to fly Lufthansa (a partner of US Airways), but the change fee, along with the difference in fare would be $2600! The person Kevin was talking to was less than helpful and basically told him these were his only two options. On that note, Kevin hung up and we started brainstorming.
1. We could change my flight to May 3 (which had open seats) and not travel. Neither of us were fans of this option because part of the reason Kevin works in Europe is so we can travel.
2. Kevin could fly out on May 16 and I would just stay the night in Munich and fly out on May 17. For me, this was not an option because it would require we to go through Passport Control by myself without any proof as to why I was in Italy for 100 days over my allowed time. Just thinking about it gives me anxiety.
3. We could change both of our flight to May 16. Last night, we decided on this option. Yes, it was going to cost us about $700, but it was really the only option that made sense.
First thing this morning, Kevin called US Airways. The first thing he did was ask if there were any open seats on my flight on May 17, but nothing had opened up. Luckily, the guy who Kevin was talking to was actually helpful. After 40 minutes on the phone, he had found a flight that would require Kevin to have two connections instead of one, but would have us both leaving on May 17 and arriving in Pittsburgh within 2 hours of each other. Obviously, flying 11 hours home separately isn't what we want to do, but this solution is the most logical.
Instead of dwelling on the 11 hours we'll spend by ourselves on the plane home, we moved onto our next task..planning one last trip. Due to my visa (or lack thereof) issues, we can only travel by car or train. We haven't booked anything, but we think we have decided to go to Rome, Sorrento, Naples, Capri, Pompeii, and Florence. We've been to both Rome and Florence, but don't feel like we've seen everything they have to offer. And we can't wait to see some new places. Make sure to check back in the next week or so to read about our trip.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
I Am Officially 30!
Yes, today is my birthday. I have left my 20's and have entered my 30's. It's a bit scary, but I'm ready to see what they have to offer.
Yesterday, I was checking my email and MSN had an article "30 Things Every Woman Should Have and Should Know by the Time She's 30" on their homepage. With my impending birthday, I decided to take a look at it and I have to say I agree with a lot of the author's ideas, but think there are a few important things that have been left off. I thought about making my own list and posting it. But instead I will reflect back on my 20's and list the "20 Things I Learned in my 20's."
I've learned...
1. What it means to be in love.
2. It is never a good idea to smoke a cigarette on a drunk night out with the girls. I'm always going to regret it in the morning.
3. Being organized makes life easier.
4. What it feels like to lose some of the most important people in my life.
5. That the saying "you meet your best friends in college" is true.
6. I'm ready for kids. I officially have the "baby itch."
7. I cannot stress over things I cannot change.
8. Eating whatever I want and not working out, without gaining a pound doesn't last forever. Once I hit 25, I got what I like to call my "woman body."
9. All things don't happen for a reason. I would like to punch the person who first said this in the face.
10. How to pack up my life and move within a few days...sometimes hours.
11. How to drink red wine without ice cubes.
12. Tanning beds are not my friends and nothing good comes from them. That is unless you think wrinkles, premature aging, skin cancer, and dry skin are good things.
13. Moisturizers, vitamins, water, and sunblock are my friends.
14. To live each day with no regrets.
15. To never buy cheap toilet paper, paper towels, or garbage bags.
16. How to shoot a gun, bait my own hook, drive a golf ball, and drive a manual.
17. I'm a pretty good cook. I know Kevin and my Daddy would agree with me.
18. I have to do what makes me happy.
20. McDonalds is not healthy regardless of what I order.
Yesterday, I was checking my email and MSN had an article "30 Things Every Woman Should Have and Should Know by the Time She's 30" on their homepage. With my impending birthday, I decided to take a look at it and I have to say I agree with a lot of the author's ideas, but think there are a few important things that have been left off. I thought about making my own list and posting it. But instead I will reflect back on my 20's and list the "20 Things I Learned in my 20's."
I've learned...
1. What it means to be in love.
 |
| It's hard to believe we've been together for over 12 year already. |
2. It is never a good idea to smoke a cigarette on a drunk night out with the girls. I'm always going to regret it in the morning.
3. Being organized makes life easier.
4. What it feels like to lose some of the most important people in my life.
5. That the saying "you meet your best friends in college" is true.
 |
| My best friends since freshman year of college. Love these girls! |
6. I'm ready for kids. I officially have the "baby itch."
7. I cannot stress over things I cannot change.
8. Eating whatever I want and not working out, without gaining a pound doesn't last forever. Once I hit 25, I got what I like to call my "woman body."
9. All things don't happen for a reason. I would like to punch the person who first said this in the face.
10. How to pack up my life and move within a few days...sometimes hours.
 |
| Packing really is a skill and I think I've mastered it. |
11. How to drink red wine without ice cubes.
12. Tanning beds are not my friends and nothing good comes from them. That is unless you think wrinkles, premature aging, skin cancer, and dry skin are good things.
13. Moisturizers, vitamins, water, and sunblock are my friends.
14. To live each day with no regrets.
15. To never buy cheap toilet paper, paper towels, or garbage bags.
16. How to shoot a gun, bait my own hook, drive a golf ball, and drive a manual.
 |
| Don't worry, no animals were injured. |
18. I have to do what makes me happy.
19. That reading is fun.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
They Did It To Me Again
Kevin left early Saturday morning for Asiago and I have not left the house since. Okay, so I left the house to go to the gym, but I haven't stepped foot outside the apartment complex. I really haven't had a reason to though. While I would have loved to go into town to get a coffee and people watch, the weather has been miserable. It has honestly rained or snowed since we pulled in the drive from Munich on Friday night. I've been keeping busy though. I've cleaned the apartment, started packing, uploaded some pictures, and have been catching up on the shows on my DVR. I have also been hitting the gym everyday trying to make up for the past 6 weeks.
I woke up this morning to our landlord ringing our doorbell at 8:30 AM. I know most people are up at this hour and sometimes I am, but today I wasn't. I didn't get to bed last night until almost 3:00 AM so I was really hoping to sleep until about 10:00 AM. When Kevin is gone, I just can't sleep. It's not that I'm scared or anything. I just don't like to sleep alone and it takes me hours to fall asleep even when I'm exhausted.
Well, since I was up and the rain had finally stopped, I decided I would head into town to pick up some groceries, mail some postcards, and have a coffee. After I parked, I tried to pay the meter and it wouldn't take my money...clue #1. Once I got into town, I noticed it was super busy...clue #2. As I made my way through town, I realized a lot of the stores were closed...clue #3. And then it hit me, today must be some type of holiday. So, of course, once I made it to the post office, it was closed. The same was true for the grocery store. But I still don't know what holiday is on April 25!
I decided to Google it when I got home and found out that today is Liberation Day. On April 25, 1945 Italy was liberated by Allied troops. These days, April 25 is a day where Italians honor their fallen soldiers and it is celebrated by holding parades, rallies, and concerts.
For me, April 25 will be just another day in the apartment. Maybe there will be a Jersey Shore marathon on or something.
I woke up this morning to our landlord ringing our doorbell at 8:30 AM. I know most people are up at this hour and sometimes I am, but today I wasn't. I didn't get to bed last night until almost 3:00 AM so I was really hoping to sleep until about 10:00 AM. When Kevin is gone, I just can't sleep. It's not that I'm scared or anything. I just don't like to sleep alone and it takes me hours to fall asleep even when I'm exhausted.
Well, since I was up and the rain had finally stopped, I decided I would head into town to pick up some groceries, mail some postcards, and have a coffee. After I parked, I tried to pay the meter and it wouldn't take my money...clue #1. Once I got into town, I noticed it was super busy...clue #2. As I made my way through town, I realized a lot of the stores were closed...clue #3. And then it hit me, today must be some type of holiday. So, of course, once I made it to the post office, it was closed. The same was true for the grocery store. But I still don't know what holiday is on April 25!
I decided to Google it when I got home and found out that today is Liberation Day. On April 25, 1945 Italy was liberated by Allied troops. These days, April 25 is a day where Italians honor their fallen soldiers and it is celebrated by holding parades, rallies, and concerts.
For me, April 25 will be just another day in the apartment. Maybe there will be a Jersey Shore marathon on or something.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Update
I know I’ve been MIA for about two weeks, but we had one of
Kevin’s friends in town and we were out and about. We did a lot of traveling and saw some new places, but it’s nice
to be home now.
Brian got here on April 10.
He flew into Venice and we went there to meet him. It just so happened that we also had family
friends in Venice at that time so we all got together for a day of
sightseeing. We did a tour of the
Jewish Ghetto (something we’ve never done), checked out St. Mark’s Basilica,
walked around the markets, had pizza, and drank Spritz. We thought about trying Bellinis at Harry’s
Bar, the home of the first Bellini, until we saw the price. £16.50 (about $22) for a 6-ounce
Bellini! That price made us all get out
of our seats quickly and hit the streets for the next best thing…gelato.
Pizza break with Emma, John, Cathy, Brian, and Kevin
That night we made our way to Verona where Brian, Kevin, and
I were staying over. It was already
late so we checked into our hotel and then went straight to dinner. After a bottle of wine and a few beers, we
were exhausted so we called it a night.
We woke up the next morning to rain.
I’m not talking about a light sprinkle either. This was a downpour.
After a few hours of walking around in the rain, checking out the Roman
Theater, and rubbing Juliet’s boob, we decided it was time to head back to
Vipiteno.
Kevin got a quick boob rub in for good luck.
After a day spent in Innsbruck and a day in Vipiteno, we
made our way to Florence. We decided to
drive since we were only staying two nights and it made more sense money
wise. We don’t have a GPS so we figured
Google Map directions would work just as well, but we ended up getting lost a
few times. It took about an hour longer
than it should have to get to our hotel.
We were actually parked illegal in a place we weren’t even supposed to
be driving and started running around asking people if they knew where our
hotel was. Turns out, it was about 40
meters from where we were parked and the parking garage was just around the
corner.
Our first afternoon and night in Florence was rainy. We had drinks, then dinner, then more
drinks, and then called it a night. The
next day, we had scheduled a ½ day trip to Pisa and were bummed when we woke up
to rain. But as we started driving away
from Florence, everything cleared up.
We got a guided tour of the main square in Pisa and then had a few hours
to ourselves. We spent most of this
time holding up the Leaning Tower and snapping stupid pictures.
Piazza del Duomo, Pisa
I'm just holding up the Leaning Tower for a bit.
That afternoon we had a few more hours of no rain in
Florence and took advantage of it. We
checked out the Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo, and walked around until
dinnertime. For dinner, we checked out
a cute little place that had a pasta sampler.
It was served family style so you could just take what you want. Everything was delicious, including the
three bottles of Chianti that we took down.
The Piazza del Duomo in Florence
The Ponte Vecchio
We finally woke up to a clear sky on our last day in
Florence. We walked the 460 steps (give
or take a few) to the top of the Duomo, where the view was breathtaking. Then, we headed over to the pizzeria where
the cast of the Jersey Shore worked (please don’t judge). In started to rain a little so we decided we
should probably just head home.
Luckily, since I was in charge of the directions, we made it out of
Florence and home without getting lost once.
It should be noted that I was with two directionally challenged
men.
The Last Judgement (on the left) is painted on the ceiling of the Duomo.
Kevin and I at the top of the Duomo.
Yep, we ate where the Jersey Shore cast worked.
After two days to recuperate in Vipiteno, we made our way to
Munich. Our first stop was Dachau
Memorial Site, which I would highly recommend to everyone. It was depressing, yet educational and some
of the stuff that happened there is unbelievable.
Once we made it to Munich, we walked around the Marienplatz area and then heading to the Hofbräuhaus for dinner and a big beer. One turned to two and then two turned to three. And by the time we left there, we had each consumed three liters of beer. Well, maybe not me…I was having trouble drinking the third one so I kept pouring it in the boys’ beers when they weren’t paying attention. On our way home, we got so lost because somehow the map had gotten torn and the important part was nowhere to be found.
The gate prisoners passed through when entering Dachau. The inscription means "Work Brings Freedom."
Once we made it to Munich, we walked around the Marienplatz area and then heading to the Hofbräuhaus for dinner and a big beer. One turned to two and then two turned to three. And by the time we left there, we had each consumed three liters of beer. Well, maybe not me…I was having trouble drinking the third one so I kept pouring it in the boys’ beers when they weren’t paying attention. On our way home, we got so lost because somehow the map had gotten torn and the important part was nowhere to be found.
The Marienplatz
Round one of beers at the Hofbräuhaus.
That next morning was rough for everyone, but we wanted to
get an early start because Kevin and I were heading out that afternoon to come
back to Vipiteno. We checked out the
Viktualienmarkt, where I had a big pickle and a coffee and Kevin had a foot
long sausage on a 6-inch bun for breakfast.
After doing some shopping and checking everything out, we headed to
lunch where we all had a Wiener Schnitzels that were bigger than our
heads. Needless to say, none of us
finished it. Kevin and I said our
goodbyes to Brian (since he was staying to fly out the next day) and we headed
back to Vipiteno.
I might have found the cure to hangovers.
You can't visit Germany without getting a Wiener Schnitzel.
Monday, April 9, 2012
What I'm...
...reading- I've jumped on the bandwagon and started The Hunger Games. My friend, Jana, got it for me for my birthday and brought it with her when she came to visit. Of course, I'm hooked and now I need to get the next two books.
source
...listening to- We get sick of the music stations on TV so Kevin and I usually just listen to music on YouTube. The other day Kevin was listening to something and when I looked at the featured videos, Chris Rene's Young Homie video came up. I was so excited because I fell in love with Chris on the X Factor and had no idea that they had made his song into a video.
...watching- Don't judge, but I am obsessed with Basketball Wives on VH1. It should be noted that not one of the women on the show is currently happily married to a basketball player. The only two women that are married, are separated and going through a divorce. The show is a train wreck and basically the women just all beat the hell out of each other. Evelyn, who is engaged to Chad Ochocinco, is the most entertaining, but she scares me. I used to have a crush on Ochocinco, but now I don't even want to think of him out of fear that Evelyn might find out and come beat me up. I know this is unlikely, but I will no longer fantasize about Ochocinco with his shirt off.
...listening to- We get sick of the music stations on TV so Kevin and I usually just listen to music on YouTube. The other day Kevin was listening to something and when I looked at the featured videos, Chris Rene's Young Homie video came up. I was so excited because I fell in love with Chris on the X Factor and had no idea that they had made his song into a video.
...watching- Don't judge, but I am obsessed with Basketball Wives on VH1. It should be noted that not one of the women on the show is currently happily married to a basketball player. The only two women that are married, are separated and going through a divorce. The show is a train wreck and basically the women just all beat the hell out of each other. Evelyn, who is engaged to Chad Ochocinco, is the most entertaining, but she scares me. I used to have a crush on Ochocinco, but now I don't even want to think of him out of fear that Evelyn might find out and come beat me up. I know this is unlikely, but I will no longer fantasize about Ochocinco with his shirt off.
Happy Birthday Mom!
Easter Is What You Make It
Last year for Easter, Kevin had an away game so a few of us girls made plans to go to church and then have a little get together that night for some food and drinks. This year, I really didn't think about making plans or anything. I figured we'd go about our day the same as we usually do. Then Saturday night at about 10:00pm, Debbie and I decided we would just wing a Easter dinner. Luckily, Kevin and I had just gone shopping in Innsbruck and had a pretty full house.
By chance, we had a ham in our fridge. They were on offer this week and since Kevin never remembers which one he likes the best and can't make a decision, I told him just to buy one of each...so he got three. We had also just picked up two LARGE tubs of German potato salad while we were in Innsbruck. We can only find the brand we like at this organic/bio store so we always stock up when we are there. I was also able to toss together a salad with the veggies I had on hand and we had a package of dinner rolls at the house. For dessert, I looked through my Pinterest recipes and considered what I had here and decided to make Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies...and I might add that they were delicious and fat free. Okay, the fat free part is a lie, but that is what I'm going to tell myself as I devour the leftover cookies today.
Our last minute, thrown together Easter dinner was perfect. It was definitely nothing fancy or elaborate, but it was a great time with great friends. The way I see it, we could have been eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and it still would have been an amazing time because Easter is what you make it.
By chance, we had a ham in our fridge. They were on offer this week and since Kevin never remembers which one he likes the best and can't make a decision, I told him just to buy one of each...so he got three. We had also just picked up two LARGE tubs of German potato salad while we were in Innsbruck. We can only find the brand we like at this organic/bio store so we always stock up when we are there. I was also able to toss together a salad with the veggies I had on hand and we had a package of dinner rolls at the house. For dessert, I looked through my Pinterest recipes and considered what I had here and decided to make Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies...and I might add that they were delicious and fat free. Okay, the fat free part is a lie, but that is what I'm going to tell myself as I devour the leftover cookies today.
Our last minute, thrown together Easter dinner was perfect. It was definitely nothing fancy or elaborate, but it was a great time with great friends. The way I see it, we could have been eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and it still would have been an amazing time because Easter is what you make it.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Spring Shopping
Packing my clothes bag to move for the season is a task for me. It takes hours and hours stretched across a few days to complete the process perfectly. First I make a list (because all great things start with a list) and then I get down to the business of actually tackling what is in my closet (or should I say my parent's spare closet that houses all my shit). I lay it all out on the bed and then start picking and choosing what will go and what will stay.
When coming to Vipiteno I knew it was going to be cold. Sweaters, jeans, boots, coats, scarves, gloves, and hats were must-haves. Originally, I had packed a pair of black flats, a jacket, and some short-sleeved shirts, but I quickly took those out after looking at the weather averages for the months I would be here. I didn't want to waste precious space on clothes I would never wear. I did that our first year overseas and ended up only wearing about half the stuff I brought. Plus, that space can be used for an extra pair of sweatpants (which is what I wear 80% of the time).
Well the weather here has warmed up quickly, with the exception of the past few days. There have actually even been a couple days where it was 'hot.' Luckily I bought a few 3/4 length tops that have come in handy. But I only have boots and jeans to wear with them. Yesterday, Kevin and I decided to take a trip to Innsbruck to do some Spring shopping. I figured I could buy one pair of flats, one pair of jean capris, and a few short sleeved tops.
I usually have no problem shopping, but yesterday I had this mental block. I couldn't fathom buying things that I already have at home. I never found capris I liked, the only pair of flats I liked weren't in my size, and all I came away with was one t-shirt. Kevin had no problems at all. He picked up a pair of shoes, two pairs of shorts, and four shirts. Needless to say, I'm bummed out that my shopping excursion was a train wreck. I need to redeem myself so I've decided that round two will take place sometime next week. Wish me luck!
When coming to Vipiteno I knew it was going to be cold. Sweaters, jeans, boots, coats, scarves, gloves, and hats were must-haves. Originally, I had packed a pair of black flats, a jacket, and some short-sleeved shirts, but I quickly took those out after looking at the weather averages for the months I would be here. I didn't want to waste precious space on clothes I would never wear. I did that our first year overseas and ended up only wearing about half the stuff I brought. Plus, that space can be used for an extra pair of sweatpants (which is what I wear 80% of the time).
Well the weather here has warmed up quickly, with the exception of the past few days. There have actually even been a couple days where it was 'hot.' Luckily I bought a few 3/4 length tops that have come in handy. But I only have boots and jeans to wear with them. Yesterday, Kevin and I decided to take a trip to Innsbruck to do some Spring shopping. I figured I could buy one pair of flats, one pair of jean capris, and a few short sleeved tops.
I usually have no problem shopping, but yesterday I had this mental block. I couldn't fathom buying things that I already have at home. I never found capris I liked, the only pair of flats I liked weren't in my size, and all I came away with was one t-shirt. Kevin had no problems at all. He picked up a pair of shoes, two pairs of shorts, and four shirts. Needless to say, I'm bummed out that my shopping excursion was a train wreck. I need to redeem myself so I've decided that round two will take place sometime next week. Wish me luck!
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Pinterest Recipes Reviewed- Round 3
I've been busy in the kitchen again trying out new Pinterest recipes. Check out what I've been whipping up in the Reiter household.
Recipe 1: Cheesy Enchilada Casserole
I threw this amazing dish together at the last minute. I hadn't planned on anything for dinner because Kevin wasn't supposed to be home and then there was a change of plans. I had everything I needed on hand with a few exceptions. I didn't have a can of beans to add, but even if I did, I probably wouldn't have added them since Kevin isn't a big fan. In place of the Mexican cheese blend, I used both cheddar and mozzarella. I omitted the cumin and the cilantro...cilantro does not exist in Italy. Anyways, the Cheesy Enchilada Casserole was delicious and easy to make. I will definitely make it again!
Recipe 2: Caprese Grilled Cheese
Kevin thinks a meal isn't complete unless there is meat. With Lent, he has had to give up his precious meat for one day a week, but I have to say, he has done an amazing job with it. I honestly never thought he would have lasted this long.
I've been trying to shake things up with meals, especially lunches and dinners so he doesn't get bored. I found this recipe on Pinterest a few months ago and thought Lent was the perfect time to try it. I made it according to the recipe minus the garlic, which I didn't really see a point in including. The sandwich was great and even my carnivorous husband enjoyed it.
Recipe 3: Chicken and Dumplings
I've only ever had my mom's chicken and dumplings and I love those. I was really hoping mine came close to her's, but I think they were actually better. I was really craving chicken and dumplings and I looked for days for a recipe that would be easy and flavorful and came across this one and was not disappointed.
For the recipe, it calls for homemade chicken broth, but I used store bought and I also used 3 large chicken breasts (I cooked them right before) in place of a whole chicken. I left out the potatoes in order to cut down on the carbs and instead, just added more celery and carrots. As for the spices, I couldn't find fresh thyme so I used dried and I also left out the tarragon in the dumplings. I honestly have to say that I was shocked at how good my chicken and dumplings turned out. I was really expecting to mess up something, but I aced it.
Recipe 1: Cheesy Enchilada Casserole
I threw this amazing dish together at the last minute. I hadn't planned on anything for dinner because Kevin wasn't supposed to be home and then there was a change of plans. I had everything I needed on hand with a few exceptions. I didn't have a can of beans to add, but even if I did, I probably wouldn't have added them since Kevin isn't a big fan. In place of the Mexican cheese blend, I used both cheddar and mozzarella. I omitted the cumin and the cilantro...cilantro does not exist in Italy. Anyways, the Cheesy Enchilada Casserole was delicious and easy to make. I will definitely make it again!
Recipe 2: Caprese Grilled Cheese
Kevin thinks a meal isn't complete unless there is meat. With Lent, he has had to give up his precious meat for one day a week, but I have to say, he has done an amazing job with it. I honestly never thought he would have lasted this long.
I've been trying to shake things up with meals, especially lunches and dinners so he doesn't get bored. I found this recipe on Pinterest a few months ago and thought Lent was the perfect time to try it. I made it according to the recipe minus the garlic, which I didn't really see a point in including. The sandwich was great and even my carnivorous husband enjoyed it.
Recipe 3: Chicken and Dumplings
I've only ever had my mom's chicken and dumplings and I love those. I was really hoping mine came close to her's, but I think they were actually better. I was really craving chicken and dumplings and I looked for days for a recipe that would be easy and flavorful and came across this one and was not disappointed.
For the recipe, it calls for homemade chicken broth, but I used store bought and I also used 3 large chicken breasts (I cooked them right before) in place of a whole chicken. I left out the potatoes in order to cut down on the carbs and instead, just added more celery and carrots. As for the spices, I couldn't find fresh thyme so I used dried and I also left out the tarragon in the dumplings. I honestly have to say that I was shocked at how good my chicken and dumplings turned out. I was really expecting to mess up something, but I aced it.
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