Cinque Terre, Italy

We spent a day in the Cinque Terre. The drive there was pretty crazy. You wind down a mountain that is only 1 lane and big cliffs to one side. Needless to say I was a little scared. Poor Dave was driving and was pretty sick of me by the time we got to Monterosso. The Cinque Terre is 5 cities built along the coast. You can only get to them by hiking, taking a train, or taking a boat. We started in the city of Monterosso al Mare and hiked to Vernazza. Come to find out that is the steepest and hardest hike of all the cities and that is the one we did first.... It was a 2 hours hike to get to Vernazza. While it was SOO beautiful to hike between vineyards, olive groves, and see amazing views of the ocean and cities; I thought I was going to die! I am not very big on exercise or anything healthy (which I need to start being more careful of since our trip) so this was very hard for me. There are such steep parts and my lungs would burn and my legs burned. The last half hour of the hike my legs were shaking so bad just walking. Just so you know, I was sore for 4 days after the hike. I was in so much pain! I looked like an old lady when we walked anywhere. So for all of you out there that exercise and I made fun of, the joke is on me! Johnny, Kim, and Dave were all fine...

At the beginning of the hike before I thought my life was over! The water was so clear and beautiful. That is the city of Monterosso in the background. (side note... I have my swim suit on under my cloths so that is why my shirt looks funny sometimes.)

This is one set of stair we had to climb on the hike. It doesn't look tough but there were many before and many after this. A vineyard is in the top right corner of this picture. Everything was narrow and not many railings so when passing people on the stairs or along the mountain was sometimes interesting. We were all thinking how crazy it is that they don't have many safety precautions on the trail. Maybe people in Italy aren't sue happy like they are here, wouldn't that be nice!
On the trail somewhere. Yes that is a cliff to the right. And yes, I am in flip flops....


You can kind of see Monterosso in the background.

Kim and I.

Dave scared me to death by letting Johnny talk him into climbing over the trail onto this rock. What is on all sides of the rock is cliffs and yes they all went down as far as you can see the ocean. He thinks I am am so lame to worry about these things...

Johnny and Dave enjoying themselves.


The end was in sight!!


We all look so happy!


This is us right as we climbed the last few stairs of the hike into the city. I have never been so happy in my life! (I think Dave can say the same thing)


So we enjoyed the city. We walked around the streets and loved it! Johnny, Kim, and Dave swam, I enjoyed my book. Dave and I decided to take the train to the next city Corniglia while Kim and Johnny hiked. When we got off the train we had to walk about a 1/2 mile and then came to this.... Stairs! So much for taking the train. This picture doesn't do it justice!!!!!

When we got to the top there was this sign. I had to take a picture of proof! Now, the sad thing is by this time in the day I had probably climbed more than 1500 stairs and by the end of the trip I will have climbed 5,000 + or so stairs. Before my trip one of my students did a research and powerpoint presentation on the Empire State building. When he gave his presentation he was talking about how tall it is and how many stairs were in it. He then looks at me and says, Mrs. Neumann could never walk that much or climb that many stairs!! How could he know these things. :) So I had to take a picture to prove to him I can climb stairs!!!
I messed things up for Dave and I and so we didn't get to see much of Corniglia but it wasn't the coolest of the cities that day so all is well.

This is one of the common areas in Vernazza ( I think).

I want a balcony like this!


Manarola to Riomaggiore is just a nice smooth 30 minute walk so I thought I could handle that. The sun was setting so it was so beautiful. The walk between these 2 cities is called the "walk of love". There are locks and other symbols of love hung on rocks, fences, really anything they can use. Well, Dave was feeling left out and so he had to hang something. Not sure what he hung was a symbol of love or really appropriate but oh well, that is Dave for you!

On the walk. It was beautiful!

Despite my lack of being in shape and healthy, this was one of the funnest days and one of our favorite areas!

Rapallo, Italy

Dave and I went with our friends Johnny and Kim to Italy at the end of September for 11 days. We had such a great time! Italy is one of the places we have always wanted to go. Johnny went on his mission there so it was so nice to have him get us to the cool places and speak the language when we needed. We went all over Italy. It was so fun to see a lot of different places but it sure was tiring, we didn't want to miss a thing! I will break up our trip with a few different posts.

We flew into Milan and stayed the first few nights in Rapallo.

We ate dinner the first night in Genova. I have not ever seen so many beautiful yachts! There sure are a lot of rich people in Italy!

We finally got to Rapallo around 11:00 that night and the condo office was closed... so we had to find a hotel... that was an adventure! This picture is on the balcony of our hotel. It was really pretty around the hotel. Don't worry, when we went to check in that morning, the keys to our condo were under the doormat.. It only was a $160.00 mistake ha ha.

This is a view of Rapallo from the road to our condo.

Some pictures of our condo.


Johnny and Dave cleaning up so we could leave.


This is downtown Rapallo. I loved the allies, buildings, and atmosphere!!

We got gelato everyday at least once, mostly twice!! Dave and I would attempt to share...didn't always work out well! :)


They had a LITTLE beach area that the guys wanted to experience. Kim and I chilled and enjoyed the entertainment of Johnny and Dave. The beach on this side of Italy was gravel... kind of different. The water was so beautiful though! It was so clear.


Dave and Johnny being themselves!


Another pretty picture of Rapallo.

The food here was really good. I think it spoiled us... not all places in Italy have good food.

Peach Days

Peach Days is always something Dave looks forward each year. I thought it was because he was starting to love the small town and fun festivities they offer.... well I was wrong. He says it is because it means it is the end of summer and he doesn't have to knock doors anymore. Maybe one day he will love Perry. :)

On Friday night my mom's side of the family had a family reunion. It was so fun to see everyone. I wish we got together more. My mom took the pictures and lack of pictures. :)

My cute cousins!

Some of my mom's cousins

My moms brother Brian, and cousins Bob, and Blaine

My cute Aunt Colleen and Uncle Joe and my sisters Mckell and Mindy.



The next morning we got up for the Peach Days parade. It is amazing how many random things are in the parade but I still love it!

My parents, little J, and Mckell. J didn't make it for very long!

Mindy and Oakland.

Dave put his car in the car show. He loves cars.

End of Summer

The summer is over and it is back to real life. I look forward to new adventures each summer, (Dave dreads each summer). Some summers are more exciting than others. We both love seeing new places, being around different ways of thinking, and attending church in a new ward. I have learned so much from the people in the different wards we have attended each summer. In Miami my friend April and I were given 7 sisters to visit teach. Neither of us knew what we were doing but did our best and loved it. It was a great experience. I learned so much in that ward. In New York we were put into the primary and enjoyed that. The people in that ward were so unbelievably nice and helpful. The wards in West Virginia and Indiana have had such sweet people in them.
I think this summer has been the least exciting but some of the trips I have taken have made the summer bearable. Poor Dave didn't get any relief. We did enjoy a few things this summer....

A few mornings we were able to go out a do something. We went to Michigan City to a nice beach and went for a walk. It was fun!

Dave enjoyed Buffalo Wild Wings. I think Dave ate their 8 times this summer. I personally hate this place! :) This may be the best part of summer for Dave. I think his office has a rule that they can't live anywhere that doesn't have a Buffalo Wild Wings near by.


We were able to hang out with our cute niece and nephews!!!! We love them!


Hung out with Dave's family that we don't get to see very often. It was nice to only be an hour and a half away. We spent a few weekends there.


We LOVED living so close to our Chicago friends (from Dave's growing up years). We usually only see them a few times a year but when we get together it is like we hang out everyday. We were able to get together a few times throughout the summer and even had a BBQ at our apartment one Sunday. We look forward to our Christmas vacation with them. They are great friends!

Hanging out with the other wives out here is always fun. This year it was a little more difficult since we didn't have a pool, grass, or a meeting place to gather but the times we did get together it was fun.

This is Dave doing what he does in the summer, work (or getting ready to work).... at least he looks happy right?!?!

So Dave and I don't spend too much time together in the summer. He works Monday-Friday from noon to 10:00 or so at night and Saturdays from 9:00 in the morning to 10:00 or so at night. SO when he is home he likes to relax. We did find time to do a few things.

Dave doesn't enjoy summertime which is sad because it is my favorite season and I want to enjoy it with him. I am so glad he was so nice to let me do a few things this summer so I didn't loose my mind. Hopefully one day we can have summers to enjoy.

The majority of my time this summer was at our apartment in La Porte, Indiana. We didn't have cable but did have the internet. I watched a lot of TV shows. A few that I watched were Gossip Girl, Friday Night Lights, Pretty Little Liars, The Unit, and 90210. Now, the pathetic thing is.... I watched all the seasons. That is a lot of wasted time of my life!! But they were good shows. :) I also read about 15 books. Summers are boring but I guess it is good for me to relax and not stress. Now it is back to real life!

Chicago

My parents came to Chicago and picked me up and drove me home in August. It was fun having them come visit and hang out in Chicago. We spent Saturday in Chicago. We started off by heading to China town. We went there when they came for our open house right after we got married. My dad went on his mission to Hong Kong so he loved it! We ate lunch and then headed to the theater district.




We went to West Side Story. It was okay, not my favorite. It was still fun to go! The theater was beautiful!!

We went to the cupcake shop called Sprinkles. It was raining and the line was pretty long. They have a lot of interesting flavors so Renee bought a dozen! They were just regular sized cupcakes and for the dozen it cost $40.00. They were good but not that good!


But while we were there we did have some excitement. A wedding party stopped in front of Sprinkles in a rented trolly and wanted to butt in line. People in the line wouldn't let them so this guy below was the best man and said he would buy everyone in line a cupcake to let him butt (1 cupcake was $3.50 or so). So people let him butt. We had to get a picture with the wedding party and of course got one with him. It sure was an adventure. On Sunday Dave and Cory came to his parents for dinner. They decorated his parents front yard (this was a regular occurrence.) Whatever makes them happy, right?!?!

Nauvoo/Birthday

Dave's mom, sister, and I went to Nauvoo at the end of July. Kirsten had her 4th baby Troy three weeks before our trip. I made her come to relax and enjoy a few days of peace and quiet. Well... I am not so sure she had that, I talk a lot. I hope that she at least enjoyed a break from all the responsibility.
Our GPS took us on a few fun adventures that weekend. This is when we were lost in corn land!
We got to Nauvoo late Friday afternoon. We walked around a bit. I have been 1 other time with Dave but it was in December so it was nice to go when it was green and warm!
Renee, Kirsten, and Baby Troy at the temple.

While we were walking we asked some sister missionaries the best way to make sure we get seats for the next evening (which was the last night of the pageant). They said that it wouldn't be crowded that evening if we wanted to go that night. We ended up going Friday night and I was so surprised at how few people there were. There were a lot of empty seats. I was worried it would be hard to find seats and long lines to the places we wanted to go since it was the last of the pageant but it was not the case.

Us before the pageant

The pageant was so good! I am glad I was able to go.

The next day we went to a few shows and walked around. I ran into my friend DeeAura at one of the shows.

We went on the Ox ride
As you can tell in some of the pics it was a little humid! Troy was such a good baby the whole trip, I was amazed. I had fun cuddling with him most of the trip!

Kirsten and I

Sunday morning we went to Carthage Jail. It was probably one of the more spiritual experiences of the trip. The missionaries giving the tour said a lot of things that made me think. I am so grateful for Joseph Smith for having the testimony and courage to stay true to what he believes in so we can have the truth today. He went through so much that it would have been easy to give up but he didn't. He gave his life! I also admire Emma for all she went through. Because of Joseph Smith we know that God the Father and Jesus Christ are 2 separate beings, God knows each and every one of us, when we truly ask and put forth the effort of reading our scriptures, praying, and having faith we can receive answers to our questions, and so many other things that make our life so much better.
It was a great trip. I am so glad to spend time with them and hope we can do something like this every year!

It was my birthday while we were in Nauvoo. I accidentally deleted a bunch of pictures from this day somehow this afternoon...I am sad!
Dave met us at the house Sunday afternoon. He had made chicken kabobs (my favorite) and grilled them. We had a way good lunch. He had a cake for me and we all relaxed and have a fun evening. The next morning we went to the Shed Aquarium before he had to go to work. We took some fun pictures but oh well. It was fun to do something with him since we don't get to do many things in the summers.
The week before Dave surprised me and took me shopping for some new clothes, we ate at five guys, and got a Jamba! It was a good day as well. Here is a picture from that day. It was a good 26th birthday!