You tell a family tale so well. Hanging on every detail here!

I had your Rome hotel on my list for a future trip.

Volpetti might be the most famous food store in Italy; it is certainly the most famous in Rome, and now that you mention that it is near the Villa San Pio, you have sealed the deal for me--you are so fortunate to have had that close by!

Wow! What a wonderful trip report. I am enjoying every word. I have only traveled to Europe twice - the first time with our then 9 and 14 year old daughters - Paris, Switzerland, and Florence and Rome... and have been laughing out loud at times at your stories!

The second time we went to Paris for 10 nights over Christmas and New Years (the only time that worked out as well for us) and we brought back our then 11 and 15 year old daughters as well as our 18 year old son and his friend - it made for an interesting trip to say the least on many levels. I had to smile at your time grocery shopping. We had an apartment in Paris and some of my fondest memories are of me by myself in the markets...

Waiting to see what those gifts are!

Yes! It was Volpetti that had the little cafeteria next door. At the end of our trip to Rome, we went to Volpetti to get provision for the overnight train to Paris. In halting Italian, I asked for help, mumbling something like "picnic...il traino....a Parigi...." Pandemonium ensued with all the men beaming, as our stock pile of salumeria and wine grew. We tasted cheese (and bought some)...we tasted wine (and bought some)...olives (bought).....bread (bought). They thought the night train to Paris was so romantic! We had so much left over that it fed five for lunch the next day!

Great trip report, very well written. You've made me laugh out loud several times...a true indication of a great report. Hurry back, I'm impatient to hear about the rest of the trip!

I have also been truly enjoying your report, especially the sense of humor you bring to your writing. I would probably also have found myself in a grocery store as you did, and actually do like to wander around the markets in towns that we visit. Also looking forward to the unwrapping of the packages.

I can't wait to find out what you all got for Christmas

... loving your report!

thanks for sharing. Really enjoying your report. If you haven't written any books you should consider....as you have a talent.

This is s super well-written report. Worth waiting for, but not too too long, please. Many thanks.

What a cliff-hanger!

What did DH buy???

Your eight year old daughter sounds so cute. I can't wait to find out what your husband got his girls.

Thanks, I am truly enjoying your trip report.

ekscrunchy, I do have to hand it to DH for sussing out the "real deal" when he saw Volpetti's. We had no idea it was such a well-known establishment at the time!

shehof, thanks! I write lots of memos and reports -- never anything as fun as this!

taconictraveler, definitely will have this done before sandy's trip this summer! Promise.

wayfinder: Thank you so much for this trip report. I'm trying to plan a trip for early fall and I'm hung up because I don't know yet when dh will be able to go, so I am lurking and dreaming and making lists galore.

Reading trip reports is better then chocolate, and yours is better then dark chocolate.

Of course, it just leaves me wanting more.

Don't get too ambitious with the side trips! Though you might think of stopping in Ravenna and or Pisa on the way back from Venice. Also a stop in Verona or Padua on the way to Venice. Siena is beautiful, maybe stay in Chianti and drive into Florence and Siena, then you could see other places around Tuscany. Think about nixing the trip to Pompeii though amazing, Rome is a place you can't spend too much time in... check out Ostia Antica instead, it's not Pompeii, but it's close to Rome!

<i>Now, unless it’s a hardware store, DH is hopeless when it comes to gift shopping –he’s completely at the mercy of the sales staff. He’s the guy who buys the enormous, pre-packaged gift baskets at Bath and Body Works. He and our credit card don’t stand a chance. It doesn’t take long. He comes out with four brilliantly packaged gifts. I dread opening them.</i>

lol .. can't wait for more!

ditto on all comments on how great your report is, wayfinder45.

Christmas Day! We wake up on the late side and I know right away that the Pope’s Christmas Day address will be a no go. There’s plenty of time to make it, just not enough momentum. We had gone to Midnight Mass at Santa Sabina the night before -- more out of cultural curiosity than religious obligation. DD1 had been worried that DD3 was going to fuss and fidget and generally carry on (I know, funny isn’t it), lecturing me on the need to keep the little one in line. I'd been more worried about the impression the gaudy red lipstick and pick sparkle handbag might make.

The old church is vast and cold inside, but beautiful in its simplicity. Rows of chairs have been set up for the service. We sit near the back so we can make a quick exit if necessary. Worshippers slowly trickle in. A number of people hover by the doors, positioned to make an even quicker exit.

A large family comes in late and sits in the last row right behind us. There are a couple of young kids, about 10 or 12, and they proceed to generate a continuous stream of whispers and giggles. There’s shoving and chair screeching. DD3 had already started a campaign to leave, but now she sits on my lap facing the kids and watches them, fascinated. It buys us at least 30 minutes of peace. But the ruckus behind us wears thin -- even DH‘s death stare only quiets them for a few moments -- and after the collection, we sneak out of the church. We look at St. Peter’s dome from the gate of Orange Park. I feel oddly vindicated.

So it was a late night, and DH and I let the girls sleep and enjoy a quiet breakfast together. We bring up two trays of food for the girls (we’re quite at home in the hotel by this time...). They breakfast on our bed and we open DH’s gifts. There’s a Clinique gift set for DD1 with cleanser, toner, moisturizer -- the works! DD2 gets a slightly more hip gift set from Clarins that includes “cooling” cream which prevents unsightly after-exercise blotchiness. I get Clarins Lift Anti-Rides Jour. Even DH knows that DD3 is too young for skin care products, so he thinks she might like something for the bath. Beautiful young sales lady thinks “Allure” bath soap from Chanel. I decide to ignore the fact that beautiful young sales lady thinks wife needs extra-firming day cream, and enjoy the most fabulous moisturizer I’ve ever tried (goodbye Boots #7)!

The girls are finally ready to leave the hotel cocoon and we go for a long walk -- to the Baths of Caracalla, to the Colosseum, to the V.E. monument. We make a comical procession of tourists -- a stream of umbrellas flowing down Via dei Fori Imperiali to Piazza Venezia, finally dispersing among the many side streets off Via del Corso. We decide to head to the Pantheon again. There are plenty of places open to eat and we get swept up in a competition between restaurant recruiters, each trying to win our patronage.

Over lunch we ask the girls what they like most about Rome. It’s almost unanimous: the pine trees. DD3 actually votes for the pine tree CONES (she‘s picked up quite a collection by this time). It’s the first time I think about how those trees really do embody the character of Rome. They love the trees. And, of course, the “old stuff.”

wayfarer,

Such a wonderful story! I love the umbrella pines too!

Wayfinder45:
Waiting for more!!! this is really good!
P.S. I am a big fan of Roman umbrella pines.

After raising your daughters, you could certainly consider writing - either for a living or just a pastime. Will have to check back for more.

I'm enjoying your trip and thank you for writing it all up.

I wish I had been to Italy so recently.

Cindy