Leo & Nonno

L’olivo di Tommaso (Tommaso’s olive tree)

E anche Tommy ha il suo olivo. 

Vicino a quello del fratello, guarda il mare come quello di mamma e papà…

Leo & Giustino

Carrube

Le carrube (or carobs) are the fruits of the carob tree, a flowering evergreen shrub in the pea family.

Carobs are rich of sugars, carbs, calcium and iron, and virtually fat-, cholesterol-, and caffeine-free. They are considered to have anti-oxidant and hypo-cholesterolemiant properties.

Apparently, they taste like cacao.

Donkeys love them!

Tommy & Giustino

And as for Leo’s two years ago, this has been the occasion for Tommy to meet Giustino.

I don't know why, but it seems there is a natural attraction, an innate affinity between babies and donkeys, and we hope this will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship…

Les M&M's in Liguria 2013 - Foto per le mamme

Liguria

As a yearlong ‘Groundhog Day’ (Giorno della Marmotta, Jour de la Marmotte), after France and Milan, we went to Liguria, where we spent a few days with Nonno…

The good thing of our now recurrent leg in Liguria is that no matter how cold, grey, rainy or snowy France and Milan are in December, in Liguria it’s always sunny and warm(er) (below you can see the Corsica on the horizon…)

Christmas in Milan

Second leg of our Christmas tour 2013: Milan...

Tommy, Santo subito (a few more pictures...)

Tommy, Santo subito! (Tommy, immediately Saint!)

History is full of Saint Thomases: Saint Thomas the Apostle, one of Jesus’ twelve apostles, best known for questioning Jesus’ resurrection when he was first told of it; Saint Thomas Aquinas, the most important Catholic medieval philosopher and theologian; Saint Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, murdered by the followers of the king Henry II in the Canterbury Cathedral, and many others.

From December we have another aspiring Saint Thomas: San Tommaso Marchisio! 

Constance & Tommy

Christmas in Paris

Our Christmas vacations are always a bit like being on a tour: three cities in five days, do and undo your luggage, load and unload the car, run to and from the airport, etc.

First leg: Paris… 

Dear Santa...

December is time of Christmas trees and letters to Santa Claus. These were ours…

Leo (this letter has been written from Leo's dictation):

          Dear Santa,

          This year I have been a good boy:

          -          I did drawings

          -          I helped Mum

          -          I have been good with Tommy

          -          I gave kisses to Claudia

          -          I have obeyed Peppa [Leo’s teacher at the childcare]

          Therefore, I would like:

          -          a taxi

          -          the BIP-BIP car

          -          and then feel free to choose yourself

          Leo [if you pay attention you can see Leo’ signature]

Tommy (this letter has been dictated by Leo on behalf of Tommy, interpreting Tommy's wishes):

          Dear Santa,

          In my almost nine months I have been:

          -          Good 

          -          Very good

          -          Fairly good

          -          Almost good

          Therefore, I would like:

          -          another brother

          -          a little bird

          -          a bear that speaks

          -          some small cars

          -          a pyramid

          [Signed by Tommy]

And this is Mathilde's:

          Dear Santa,

          This year I have been very very good, and thus I deserve a trip to Thailand for two weeks, a GPS not to lose myself by car, a camera, and a few full nights. And a husband that tells me his days.

          Mathilde

Tommy - December 2013

Welcome to Viola

Let’s start updating the Blog again by sharing this great news: on July 8, Chiara & Marco gave birth to Viola. And at the fifth attempt, the Marchisio have a baby-girl in the family!

Welcome Viola, and congratulations to Chiara and Marco!

Meanwhile, since I last updated the Blog, many things happened: a couple of trips to China, our Summer vacations to Lido degli Estansi, the Parc des Ecrins, and La Bourboule, and many other things that I will post little by little during these quiet days (I am by myself in Rome while Mathilde and the kids are still in France for a couple of weeks).

But let’s resume from where we left: December 2013…

Ferrari rossa? Trattore arancione!*

I always thought that kids were attracted by fast, sports cars. Leonardo seems to go against the grain. He has a weakness for big, powerful vehicles. And the bigger and noisier, the better...

(*) A red Ferrari? An orange tractor!

Oggi cucino io...

 ... e questo me lo pappo io!*

(*) Today it's me who's cooking (and it's me who's gobbling this up!)

And these are Mao & Jack

Clear, isn't it?

Leo’s heros

Pablo, il pinguino freddoloso

 Du-Du

 Brontolo

Catch the lamb!

After catch Chat-Chat, catch Mouton !

Tommy - November 2013

Two Tommies are better than one. Or not? ...

1 November - Les M&M’s in Villa d’Este

Villa d’Este, in Tivoli, 15 Km from Rome, is a little jewel. Built in the XVI century, it is famous for its spectacular terraced garden, which, taking advantage of the dramatic slope (and gravity), was decorated with a sequence of fountains, water-play structures, cascades, water tanks, pools, and water jets. 

The result is scenic and romantic.

On a sunny 1 November, Les M&M’s abandoned their children to Claudia and played the sweethearts for a day…