Favorite Words + Phrases

We get asked a lot how our Italian is coming along and the truth is this....we tried to take some classes. We tried to get a workbook or two. We tried to do some verb flash cards once a day. We tried googling things on Google Translate. But the truth is - we're self taught. Good thing or bad thing? Not sure (although nothing too weird has ever happened when we ask for something at the grocery store, bank, pharmacy....so we must be doing something right). Here are a few of our favorites:

Scivoloso - super fun to yell to the other team when someone slips on the ice (*image via Cortina Hockey)

Il Dolce Far Niente - the sweetness of doing nothing. This is generally the first thing that Italians learn how to say, I believe.

Spritz Aperol, per favore! Can't live in Cortina without knowing this one...we learned this on Day 1 last year. (And sometimes there is even a giant one in the center of town).

Quando Voi or FINALMENTE! (As in: FINALLY I learned how to drive!!)

INCINTA!! (What we screech whenever someone tries to give Audrey or Stacy a glass of wine, raw meat or an unpasteurized cheese....which is daily).

And last but not least.....Vincere. The verb "to win". Because that's what we're doing. Playoff series #1 is officially tied due a due. (Image also via Cortina Hockey, and if you can read Italian - like we can - you can read all about last night's game there too!)

Lots of Excitement

We had yet another snow storm this weekend - surprise, surprise! I guess this is a clue for me to get up skiing.....

But....instead we stayed in, made more white bean chicken chili, played Monopoly AND the most exciting thing - visited baby Gracie on Saturday, who is adorably perfect.

The second most exciting thing: Cortina won in overtime on Saturday night so the series is now 2-1! The fourth game is at home tomorrow night so everyone keep your fingers crossed please! As they say....Forza Cortina!

Let the Playoffs Begin!

Bring it on, Renon! Playoffs start today and we're facing off with Renon. Actually, everyone else is...Ryan and I will be at home eating risotto and watching 24. He has a strained hamstring and won't play until Thursday and I don't go to Renon because it's a very bad drive.

I think I say this a lot, but I can't believe that it's already playoff time once again and that the regular season is OVER! We went out on a good note, last Saturday night, beating Pontebba 4-1.

Hopefully something like this happens again this year too. Although Renon is #1. Little bit of role reversal this year....oh well.

In other incredibly exciting news, Baby Gracie has arrived! She was born on February 17. We were out having schnitzel for lunch when we got the good news, so of course we had to order a few glasses of prosecco and have a toast. We've been waiting for her all season! Obviously she is adorable and though I haven't met her yet (I have a bad cold), I'm sure she's a perfect baby.

Valentines

Happy V-Day! A little late, but we're on Italian time after all....

Back At It

It's snowing again! Weird. We've had SO much snow this year, much more than last year....just getting the ski hill ready for Ryan when his season is over, I guess.

Ryan's break is over and he's in Milan today, trying to bump the team up from #8 to #7.

I'm making white bean chicken chili, since it's snowing, and I managed to find jalapenos (not a common sight here) at a huge grocery store outside of Venice......

Last week we went to Padova to the children's hospital to present them with a check for 3,000 euro that we raised at the games by auctioning off jerseys and signed sticks (Ryan's jersey raised the most money - JUST saying). The doctors and nurses were all so happy with the donation and the kids loved to meet all the players and were very sweet. We did this last year too and it really puts things into perspective.

AND.....playoffs start in a week! Can't believe how fast the time this year has flown by. (Or that this happened a YEAR ago!)

Lately

Time for a very long overdue post! January was a busy month - after our trip to Lake Como, we settled into 2013....

....the women's World Cup ski race came to Cortina for the 17th year in a row. The boys handed out bibs to the skiers one very cold night while the whole town watched. (Last year Ryan was picked by Lindsay Vonn, this year by Daniela Merighetti, since he's so Italian now). It was fun to see a few American flags around town.

My friend Angela came to visit her husband who is playing here now until the end of the season. We had a very fun four days together.

It snowed a LOT (might be time to hit the slopes this week since my ski pants - which we mailed in November - have finally arrived!) so we cooked at home a lot and hunkered down watching 24.

Ryan and the boys just had last weekend off though, so we had lots of fun dinners out with our friends. (This is Ryan's favorite meal in Cortina).

In hockey news, the team has definitely made the playoffs and those start on February 19. Ryan wouldn't want me to write this but he's on fire, getting 2 or 3 points per game. We'll see if he actually reads this blog...

This week we're going to Padova, to visit the Children's Hospital. We raised 3,000 euro for them last month and we'll present them with the check and a few sticks and jerseys.

Happy February!