Pretty Sweet Summer

We are back in Doha and school starts tomorrow- so I figure I better crack open a beer and tell you about the last few months before I forget all about them. We had quite the amazing summer- travel in Italy, France, England, and time at home in Colorado as well. Here are a few of the highlights:

Started in Rome- not a bad little city.

future vespa owner

our first night coincided with Italy playing Spain for the European Cup championships! The service at the restaurant was definatly slowed down due to the game- and then Spain goes and wins. Oh well

Saint tryouts at the vatican- I got cut in the first round

The view from St Peters Basillica.

The toursits in front of St Peters Basillica.

Yeah yeah I know- the tower is leaning.

Lucca, Italy: an absolutely incredible place!

rooftop garden in Lucca

doing that tourist thang in Venice

Ready for Carnival

and then we hit the mountains...

We spent 2 days in Madonna di Campiglio- hiking thru the Dolomites- which are incredible and beautiful and have Rifugios

Rifugios are like the 10th mountain hut system except...

...they serve beer and coffee there- food also, but Beer! mama mia!

we were too chicken to eat one.

the hills are alive...

Next it was off to Sulden to see the cousins

Biking Stelvio pass looks so hard when you see it during the Giro- and we found out why

48 switchbacks!

I now realise why Messner is such a badass- you should see the peaks where he grew up- huge!

tree house at the bear park.

after 2 weeks in Italy we crossed the border into France, saw Mt. Blanc and tried our hand at the family ropes course.

We left the mountains and drove to Nice- beach time, cousins part 2, and Nonna and Keith.

we even took in the cannons of Monaco one day.

ahh the city of love...

ahhh the juice box in the city of love.

hard day sailing at the Luxembourg gardens

the hunchback of Notre Dame

and then we jumped the channel and landed in England

where we got to see the cousins a royal third time- and threw in Max and Jude.

here is Innes holding up 7 people!

Robertsbridge home of the Wells and Gray-Nicolls bats. We came to see the Wells

Caryn's birthday in the garden.

you rang?

Home! where we can get bbq pork sandwiches.

and ride bikes through the forest

and play with the neighbors

and shoot things

and see family

and chase bubbles (okay that was just me doing that)

and buy 1$ guitars at the rummage sale

and slip-n-slide

and go to Lake Powell

and see our boy Elmo!

It was an incredible time- to be able to adventure through Europe and be at home with friends and family was very special. We have fully realised how incredibly lucky we are to have the friends we do and the families. The love we get from you all is quite special. So we'll take that love and spread it around a bit- have a few more adventures over here, get to know our new friends better, meet strangers, drive fast and take chances- and love eachother- just 4 crazy Isoms in Doha. 

Thanks for reading