Ahhhhhh .... Italy

We just finished a leg of our trip that I was very curious about.  We had 3 days that were not booked anywhere.  We thought we might find a hotel or maybe stay somewhere in the motorhome?  We weren't sure.  We thought about staying longer in Slovenia but then decided to try a campground near Venice for the whole 3 nights.  Which meant staying in our little motorhome for 3 nights.  All 6 of us.   Together.  But we did it!  And it was awesome.  I've heard European campgrounds are amazing and it is so true. Most of the parked campers looked like they were there for the long haul.  Probably booked for the summer.  One guy was even laying down laminate flooring outside his camper.  Almost all of them had TV's hooked up to satellite dishes.  But we loved it.  Our nights were a bit sketchy with all 6 of us squished together but our days were lovely.  Our first day there we decided to just soak in the sun and relax.  Which was a great idea because the second day "puked rain" (which is the term we decided to use for the rain).  We really wanted to go to both Venice and Burano (which is another island near Venice) but decided that in the spirit of slow travel we had to pick the simpler of the two.  Which worked out great, other than the puking rain.  But Burano.  Wow.  You'll see below in the photos how unbelievably amazing it is.  And colourful.  Wow.  Took all our breath away.  We were so sad to miss Venice until we arrived in Burano.  Amazing.  

After 3 nights I was glad to say goodbye to sleeping in the motorhome and head off to Tuscany, (which we recently found out we are actually in Umbria).  And we have some friends visiting which is seriously so fun.  We've loved our family time but we all are loving the new energy.  They even kicked Luke and I out last night so we could go on a date!  We came back home to the 3 older kids sleeping and Josie squished between them intensely watching their TV show with them.  Loved it.

Then we found these amazing hot springs just in the middle of the forest that are full of calcium and therefore the rocks around them are white.  So it felt like snow but was this powdery white substance.  Kids loved it. And we loved the relaxing day.  We just soaked in the pools and explored the forest around.  

Our place has a pool but again, I forgot to ask the all important question, "Is the pool heated?" and so we spend a lot of time AROUND the pool but barely in the pool.  Sometimes I pay the kids to jump in, just to get use of it!  

When Luke and I were planning this trip we decided to spend the month of May in Italy and I am so glad we did.  The weather is lovely.  Not crazy hot but not crazy cold.  We just wander these beautiful towns and amazing landscapes and eat gelato.  A LOT of gelato.  

Our beach at the campground.  It was our first real day of sun and so of course I forgot about sunscreen.  Sunburns for all!

Happy Josie!

And sad Josie.

Burano

Love the colour!

The puking rain

I love this picture.  Ella didn't know I was taking it.  She was just leaping and dancing in the rain.

More rain puking down.  It would stop, we'd walk for 10 minutes or so.  Then we'd hear thunder and RUN!  Within about 10 seconds the skies would open.  

Our friend Kevin joining the boys in the dare to jump in the pool.

We snuck in to watch an Italian soccer game 

This may or may not be her first gelato.  

At the hot springs

I added this picture because this is the new face that Josie is making these days.  So cute.

The calcium rocks

I wasn't here for this.  Luke set up a model shoot with the kids.