Wonderful Getaway in Tuscany

While I was over in Italy, one of the highlights of my trip was staying at this gorgeous apartmen t. Located just outside of the wonderful town of Pontassieve in Tuscany, this place was exactly what I was looking for. It was just outside Florence and we rode the train into Florence one day. We had planned on going again but loved this place so much we decided to hang out here instead. I found it on homeaway and it was everything I hoped for. The apartment we rented is one of five on the property. This building was a watchtower that was built in the 16th century, it overlooks vineyards, olive tree groves, and the town, nestled between the mountains. I stayed in the studio apartment which was the perfect size, it had a bed, a bathroom with a great shower (which was well appreciated after hostel showers, train rides, and dragging my suitcase all over town), a small kitchenette, and a terrace with a wonderful view. I absolutely loved the town itself too, if you don't mind walking you can get to the town in about 45 minutes or less (we did stop to take lots of pictures.) We felt truly immersed in Italian culture, we were the only tourists there, we hung out outside the cafe on the square and watched as the kids got out of school, the people got off work, and the old men gathered to talk and watch the bike races inside. Everyone was very friendly and we really enjoyed our time there. Jane, the lovely woman who owns the property with her husband was a wonderful host and went out of her way to make us feel comfortable. She has the sweetest daughter, Vita, who was a joy to talk to and Peggy the cat, who made appearances and really made me feel at home. If you get the chance to go to Tuscany, this is the place to stay, wonderfully priced, homey and clean, you'll never want to leave!

The Unexpected Greatness of Iowa

I am lucky enough to have a family who built a cabin by Lake Okoboj i in northwestern Iowa. My Grandpa, uncles, and some friends of the family all put in a lot of time and muscle to build our well loved cabin. Although not all of us get up there as much as we'd like, anytime we're there we have the best time. For Grandma's birthday that's where we held the festivities. We went out on the boat, grilled out, and had all the fun you'd expect to have on the lake. Anyone who hasn't been there needs to go, the Lakes are all very clean, they have a great amusement park, Arnolds Park , which boasts The Legend, a wooden roller coaster built in 1927 which is still going strong, a super fun log ride, lots of shopping and you can take a ride on the Queen II, which tours the lakes and looks like an old time steam boat. There are also golf courses, mini-golf, tons of flea markets to scavenge on rainy days, and concerts in the park. If you live anywhere in the midwest, or really anywhere at all, you have to experience the wonder that is Okoboji. You'll want to try and figure out how you can stay all summer.

I'm Back!

Home again.  Italy was amazing and although I did not make it to France on this trip, I enjoyed Italy immensely. Here are some of my favorite pictures taken at my favorite places. We stayed in Dumaso on Lake Como, one of the northern most points on the lake. On our 3 hour boat ride, we spotted this beautiful sail boat backed by the Alps. I never thought I'd see the Alps, they were absolutely breathtaking. I loved every minute of it. The Trevi Fountain in Rome is also amazing. It was made in 1620 and is a masterpiece. Walking around Rome was so amazing, you're just walking around and Bam! you run into the Colosseum, this amazing structure built in the year 80. It was mind blowing. The last two pictures were taken at Cinque Terre national park. I loved this place, right on the Mediterranean Sea, while it was probably one of the more touristy places we went, it was like a whole other world. The Sea was clear, the sunsets were beautiful, and the locals were wonderful. The whole trip was like a dream come true, I can't wait to explore more of Europe

See You Soon!

I am so excited for my vacation but I also have something to look forward to when I get back. My lovely boyfriend, Chris and I will be moving in together! We just went to look at an apartment today and we both really love it.  It has my mind on overdrive with all things domestic.  The apartment we looked at today has TWO patios! Container gardens, patio sets, sipping tea. Baking cookies and muffins, knitting and sewing blankets, pillows, and quilts. What a great thing to look forward to after vacation. I don't know if I will have time to post tomorrow, as I will be spending time with my lovely mother on Mother's Day, and some time with my wonderful boyfriend, who is taking me out for a nice dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, The Justus Drugstore . So if I don't get to post again before I leave, just know, I'll be back soon and I'll have lots of wonderful pictures from Italy and France to share with everyone!

A place to get away

Did you ever dream of your very own treehouse when you were young? I think everyone did. Did you expect to see something like these fabulous homes in trees? I'm thinking I want to live in a tree someday, they really aren't just for playing anymore. There are some places around the country where you can vacation in a tree house. Check out beautiful Eureka Springs, Arkansas while staying in this lovely treehouse, you can visit Mt. Rainier while sleeping here,  or you can check out some other treehouse resorts. I think staying in one of these would be great for a honeymoon or just a relaxing getaway. How romantic to stay in a treehouse. Either way, I still want one in my back yard, I can imagine climbing up a rope ladder, sipping pink lemonade, reading books and listening to the birds chirp while relaxing in the treetops.