Muddle Day... Still Pretty Good

Cindy and the girls outside our apartment.

Now we're talking... gelato after lunch. 

Buongiorno!

We are in Rome. Landed at 9:30am Roma time and wouldn't you know it... the atm's in the airport were all _only_ local networks. But, our shuttle driver took us by a bank and we got cash then made it to the apartment. The apartment is awesome albeit a little complicated to operate... a myriad of keys and controls and overrides and buttons you push uno, no due times, if the light blinks then... blah blah blah. The blah blah blah is mainly what I heard since I'm pretty tired after the flight.

If we can keep the wheels on (everyone is tired now), maybe we'll walk around and grab a bite to eat. Our first pizza in Rome maybe.

On the Way for Real

Due to the early flight to Chicago, we had a really big layover… not the best things for families it seems. Finally, the vacation was going like I thought it would. Bailley cannot be still and is trying to dismantle the airport and I'm stressed and tired, so it just doesn't go well. But, a fueled up and ready to go 767 fixes everything. I think it just became real for the kids. Plus the movie is Lorax… and they are jazzed about that.

The Windy City in Daylight

We are in Chicago and man are we spoiled in Austin. The Austin airport food… I'll put that up against any airport. We saw a sign for Pizzeria Uno Express… we, are, there. Uh. Now I wish I hadn't of gone there. I'm sure the real deal Pizzeria Uno is awesome, but hey Chicago, take a little of that to your airport.

Now just a long wait until the long overnight flight. Everyone's excitement level is definitely high.

Well… I did say adventure.

My friend Micah was kind enough to drop us off at the airport and drive our car back to our house. He picked us up at 7:15, which I thought was a little early, but I'm sure even then he and was going to be late to work and was missing meetings… so at 7:15 we did leave.  We had almost no traffic so we get to the airport nice and early. Our flight to Chicago is at 11:10, so a good time to get some coffee, a muffin, make that last restroom stop, and just relax for a while and ponder the things we may see. We try to check in at the automated machine and it says 8:55 flight… hmmm… I'm sure they are trying to put us on an earlier flight since we got there soooOOO early. I do not want to sit in Chicago two additional hours as I do not like that airport. We go to the counter to check our bags. The lady says they are boarding in 2 minutes…. what? Yes, they emailed you on 8 July with the flight change. No they didn't. Oh well… off to the races, to the priority lane at security we go. Got through that and Cindy has to stop and grab food as me and the girls go to the terminal. Then Cindy doesn't realize that Bailley is holding her passport and boarding pass, so she races back to security… we wave her back to the terminal and walk right on the plane. Whew. Not quite as planned, but what things in life truly hold to our plans? It's pretty rare for me anyway.

One last note: two bags, one 20.5 lbs. and one 38.5 lbs. I swear Bailley, Abigail, and I took more than that for one week at nationals. I knew we were going to roll lean when one night at dinner, after we had done our initial packing, Cindy looks at me and says, do you know who is taking the most clothes?… uh… me? Yes. So I went and put a shirt back in my closet. 

Almost There

Bailley finished her softball season yesterday in steamy Ridgeland Mississippi. In her first year 10u season, a season in which you are supposed to take your beatings, learn from it, and just muddle through, her team got one first, one second, one third place and got second place at ASA A Southern Nationals. Unbelievable.

While back in Austin, Madison finished her voice camp. She will be competing with high schoolers now, and from her report the music gets much more difficult... But it's good to see her pushed to get even better.

Abigail, Bailley, and I are grabbing breakfast and driving back to Austin... Leaving for Europe tomorrow. So stay tuned...

Start of Sabbatical...

Well... my sabbatical starts today: four weeks of no work. I was trying to think of the last time I was not working or going to school for four weeks. It has certainly been a loooonnnngg time (I am old).

Abigail is finished with her spring/summer softball season, as she participated in PONY Nationals July 11 - 14. The Hotshotz had a great season and tournament, finishing 5th.

Bailley is going to finish her spring/summer season next week at ASA Southern Nationals August 1 - 5. Bailley, Abigail, and I will be driving to beautiful (and surely arid and cool) Ridgeland, MS early next week.

Madison will be staying in Austin with Cindy as she has a voice camp to work on all-state competition music. Notice I said all-state and not regionals... she will be starting high school and competing in the high school choir competition.

As soon as we return to Austin... it's off on our grand adventure! First leg is AUS -> ORD -> FCO... Rome here we come. I'm hoping to use this blog as a journal for our trip. I hope I can update it regularly to record details and feelings and happenings as accurately as possible and capture the moments. Maybe the girls can contribute as well. Hopefully it will give everyone a firsthand glimpse into our trip. For now, please cross your fingers for us :)