Tolbert's Tidbits

We started out with a week in Rome for Easter break.  Unlike last year, the weather was a bit on the rainy side, but we were still able to enjoy several beautiful spring days.  I think my favorite memory from the trip is captured in the first picture below.  When we were in Rome last year, we happened upon a weekend outdoor market in Trestavare near our hotel.  This year, we explicitly stayed in the same area so we could go to the market again.  Of course that day was the rainiest of the whole trip, but we still toughed it out and found some bargains.  After a really wet morning, we went back to the apartment and dried out our clothes and opened Easter presents.  I think we all had a lot of fun!

Of course we did a lot of sight seeing.  The best, and worst of the trip was when Maddy and I went to the Vatican.  The line was insane – 2 1/2 hours, and the place was so mobbed.  But Maddy and I had a lot of fun, and got some great pictures.  We also were one of the last groups to leave, so we got to walk around the area where the Pope would do the Easter mass the next day.

We’re getting ready for our big Rome trip!  Last night, Maddy shared some candy with Christina (I guess it was a little sour).  I managed to get a luck snapshot of Christina wigging-out after trying the awesome sourness!

Ok, the bad first.  Last weekend we did our monthly pilgrimage to Sweden to load up on the good groceries.  Since it was Maddy’s birthday the next day we decided to let her pick a restaurant and we had a nice Chinese lunch in Helsingborg.  Then it was off to the grocery store where we loaded up on goodies.  After about 3 hours of shopping it was time to head home.  Isabella wasn’t feeling good so Olga took her and Christina to the car while Maddy and I bought and bagged the food.  Right as we got to the car, and started loading up the bags, Isabella got sick.  She started chucking her fortune cookies all over the back seat.  Fortunately, we had just bought paper towels and cleaner, so I quickly went to work getting her car seat sanitized.  After about 30 minutes of cleaning vomit in the freezing cold, we were on our way home.  We all felt terrible for Bells, who we all thought must have the flu.  After we arrived at home, Olga went upstairs to the bathroom with Bells, while I put away the groceries and cleaned up the house.  As I worked, I started to get some stomach pain.  On one of the trips to the car, I suddenly realized that I was sick too, and made a little deposit in the back yard.  By midnight, the whole family was lined up in the bathroom, as sick as dogs.  (If this story sounds bad enough already, just remember that our little house in Denmark only has ONE BATHROOM!)  The next morning, Bella and I woke up on the bathroom floor, and stayed sick all day (this is of course Maddy’s worst birthday ever).  By the evening, Isabella and I were still so sick we could not move (I couldn’t even lift myself off the floor to send an email to work saying I was sick until Monday morning).  Olga and Maddy were doing a fair bit better by Monday, so Maddy went to school, while Olga took Isabella to the doctor, and I continued being sick.  It was not until Thursday night that Bells and I were close to normal again.  It was the sickest I think I’ve been in my adult life (lost 12 pounds – 12!!! – in three days).

By Saturday we were all doing mostly normal again (by normal I mean that Isabella and Christina both have nasty coughs and fevers).  We did manage to scrape enough good time together today for Maddy to have a Birthday party.  She looked great in her crown (Olga makes them as a Danish tradition for each birthday girl).  I think Maddy is doing really well – she has really landed on her feet here.  She spent Friday night at a sleepover with friends, and is really feeling good about herself.  I’m excited for the next 5 months!