So much yet to see, so little time...

Our Napolitano friends are going to Naples next week -- in part due to the Giro d'Italia -- and have invited us to join them. We've decided to take the opportunity to see the city with locals. This means cobbling together a childcare schedule for the kids for a couple of days, and organizing rides to their activities.

In the late morning, I went to the gym -- although admittedly, for whatever reason, not with the usual gusto. Then, I ran a few errands which including picked up some swank new fashion sun glasses at a sample sale.

After school, I dropped the girls off at home and took Avery to a birthday party. All the girls in his class have a crush on him, and the birthday girl specifically requested his attendance at her party (according to her mom). I think this was the first school birthday party, where the party facilitators/animators did not use a microphone! But, all the same, the party was not that exciting. Josh arrived to relieve me, so I could get home and prepare dinner and take Olivia to her swim lesson. Unfortunately, he was on his bike and it started to get rainy. This was probably the first time all year that I think we could have used two cars. Josh ended up riding Avery home on his bike in the rain. At least Avery had a helmet on -- and it was just a drizzle.

Now that we are squeezing Naples into our itinerary, we are also making a lot of other plans

for our remaining time here in Rome. At the same time, we are planning for our return to Chicago. Today, I even made dentist appointments for Josh and me -- for November! (which was the first available with our hygienist.)

There are still, so many things to see and do in Italy; it's such a rich country. While Charlotte made it to Sicily, Josh and I won't get there this time (we were there 13 years ago on our honeymoon!). We also won't make it to the Lake District -- ie. Lago di Como, nor to Ischia or Elba. And, surprisingly, I think we'll run out of time before we take the kids to Pompeii. Another year here would have been nice. It's sad to have to plan for our return, but, at the same time, it will be nice to see family and friends, and to live in our own apartment again -- where we know we won't have a problem with heating and hot water, we can sleep in a king-size bed, and where our Sub-Zero will seem cavernous!