Fortunately we didn't have any client meetings today

This year, my coworkers and I were instructed by our party planning diva Diania that we would be having a work Halloween party and that WE WILL DRESS UP AND WE WILL LIKE IT. Oh, and we'll also have fun playing Halloween games OR ELSE.

It was a very festive day and we had quite an assortment of costumes on display, including:

Jeff: Our boss scarred us all for life with his biker dude attire; Erika: A Swedish viking; Jamie: The world's greatest Elvis

Gail, a favorite body builder of ours; Courtney: An M&M! I resisted the urge to take a big bite out of her costume. You know how I love chocolate.

Diania: Hula Girl; Clint: An exceptionally fabulous workout aficionado (He's been blaring Olivia Newton John's "Physical" on his iTunes today. Although, that's not unusual for him.); Melanie: A pirate. Arrrrghhhhh!

Amanda: Our office poo (We have a piece of rubber poo that gets passed along whenever someone has to take on an exceptionally good project. Did I mention that everyone who works here has the sense of humor of a 13-year-old boy?); Patrick: Amanda's favorite guy was a monkey at first, but stripped down to his pumpkin outfit.

Me: Angelina Jolie, with six kids, lovely full lips and a belly that is 7 1/2 months pregnant with Brad's 7th child.

Happy Halloween, dah-lings!

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And... We're back!

Z & I arrived back from our week-long European vacation last Saturday night. We had a great time visiting our good friends Maegan and Gabri, who live in Rome. Zach had never been there so it was so much fun showing him the sites (but let's be honest, as incredible as the historic sites are, the food kind of steals the thunder). We also cruised up to Tuscany to check out charming Florence for a bit.

The travel was surprisingly easy, although I was fortunate enough to catch a brutal cold just in time for the 23-hour travel day home. Let's just say that 15 hours of flight time + a 3-hour layover + 5 hours of traveling to and from airports and going through customs + being 7 months pregnant isn't as glamorous as it sounds. But we made it back safe and sound and I think little Mirando gained about 10 pounds while we were there. That boy seriously loves Italian food (notice how I'm blaming my gluttony on him--another pregnancy bonus).

Maegan and Zach were astonished at how big I got while I was there, although they did kindly try to help my ego by saying to me several times, "Your arms look really skinny because your belly is so big." Um, thanks.

Here are some highlights from the week-long trip:

Surprising my grandmother and great-aunt who were also in Rome, and enjoying their company at dinner and a visit to Trevi Fountain, where we tossed in a coin to ensure a return visit to the Eternal City one day

Grandma & me--dinner was fantastic and I ate all of it; Throwing in our coins

Having Maegan nearby to laugh at my lame jokes and having Gabri nearby to laugh at my lame attempts at speaking Italian

Maegan (through clenched teeth): "Her jokes really aren't that funny. I'm just laughing because she's my friend.
And she's huge. She could squish me."
Gabri: "You think those are bad, you should hear her Italian.
She just asked the waiter to bring us a side of automobile radiator."

Lots and lots of pizza

Even more gelato

Refreshing our history lessons by visiting classic sites like the Colosseum, the Forum and Palentine Hill

When we got here it was the center of civilization, but then I ate it.

Z at the creepy Colosseum

Zach getting busted photobombing some beautiful blonde girls' picture in a bustling piazza

Getting free gelato -- the workers said it's "for the baby"

Getting free desserts -- the waitress said it's "for the baby"

You KNOW that I ate my free desserts. I mean, the baby did.
(For the record, there are four kinds of dessert on this plate.
The waitress said I needed them when I told her I'm having a boy. Who am I to argue?)

Always getting a seat on the bus "for the baby"

Beautiful treats on every corner--a whole new meaning to "eye candy"

Playing rummy on the train back from Florence in front of an audience of elderly (English speaking) Italian ladies who thought Zach's trash talking to Maegan and me was hilarious

Did I mention gelato?

Getting to read UK versions of InStyle (And I found a typo! A secret, and admittedly nerdy, thrill of mine) and Elle Decoration

Italian grocery stores (where we scored heavenly chocolate bars for just 40 cents and a $60 Barolo wine for just 12 Euro! Don't worry, we're saving it for after the baby makes his grand arrival.)

Visiting enough churches that I think we're covered for at least 12 years of Sundays

Walking everywhere

Visiting Bernini's sculptures at Galleria Borghese--I could admire those all day long

Visiting my favorite Roman Holiday sites, the Mouth of Truth and the Spanish Steps, and pretending to be a much more uh, round, version of my idol Audrey

We're checking the Mouth of Truth to see if it is hiding any food in there that I can eat

Gregory Peck was here, but I ate him

Being tourists

On the bridge in front of Castel Sant' Angelo

Swapping out my open-toe heels for--brace yourself--Converse All Stars (These shoes are a genius invention! They have no heel but they do have some things called SHOELACES. Who would have thought?)

Doing some laundry and hanging it outside to dry just like a real Italian!

Those are our pants!

Finding out that Delta offers ice cream as a snack on the return flight home

Spending time with Zach

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Snapshots

I know how you just love looking at other people's vacation photos, here are a few from our trip last week. I'll be posting a recap in the next couple days...

Overheard: Match Making

Upon boarding a train from Rome to Florence, we spied a wonderful, wonderful woman. She was, ahem, a very large lady and was wearing some not-large-enough stretch pants, a blouse decorated with loudly colored cartoon characters, bright red Sally Jesse Raphael-esque eyeglasses and pink and blond-ish hair that was half pulled up into a wild ponytail. She also sported an ample of amount of makeup and was escorted by her multiple pieces of fluorescent pink luggage. Upon my deathbed, I know that it will be one of my life's greatest disappointments that I was not able to get a photo of her.

Despite the fact that the train was completely full, the ride was eerily silent. So much so, that Zach and I, seated across from each other, whispered to talk to one another so as not to disturb our fellow passengers (and you know how hard it is for him to whisper).

The only thing to break up the silence on the crowded train was our heroine and her cell phone. Fortunately for everyone on board, she did not speak softly.

Below is a rough transcript of her conversation (thanks to Maegan and her interpreting skills):

Hello?

Hello?!

Who is this?

Oh, yes, I saw your profile.

I'm on a train.

I'M ON A TRAIN. I'm going to visit my daughter.

So, what do you do for work?

You work in an office?

Oh, you sound like someone I would like to get to know.

Well, maybe I could meet you, but I need a close-up picture so I can see if you are beautiful.

I know, but the picture on your profile was from far away. I need a close-up one so I can see if you are beautiful.

You should give me your phone number so I can call you.

*Pause*

Hello? What is your phone number?

Hello?

Hello?

Hello?????


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Monday Lovely: Market Flowers

A visit to Rome's daily market that sells produce, meats, cheese, liquors, flowers and clothing at Campo de' Fiori is always a treat.

I spied these flowers there and thought they are a nice way to start the week. I wish they were sitting on my desk right now. Or, better yet, I wish I was sitting next to them on a fountain while eating some more delicious gelato...


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Arrivederci!

Z & I are off on a last-minute trip to Italy. We'll report on our adventures when we return, using lots of accents and hand gestures.


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Master Bedroom Mood Board

We have a mattress and box springs in our closet (Just some info on why you may have noticed that I'm usually wearing the same shoes every day: I have to fight a Serta for my stilettos.). A rocking chair/recliner has taken up residence next to our front door and baby clothes and supplies have been living on our dining room table. The double-sink bathroom vanity looks dashing on our back patio. And the kitchen counter has been transformed into our temporary office, complete with a printer and files amidst cutting boards and can openers.

We're living in the middle of a transition, waiting for our bedroom, nursery and master bathroom to be completed. Until that's done, we're getting creative with how we're storing things in all 800 of our square feet.

The remodeling project is still going OK, although not nearly as fast as I'd like it to be progressing. While I wait for the sheetrocking to start, I've been trying to pick out the furniture and other items so that once the "important" stuff, like uh, walls, are in place, we can just slam everything in and be nice and cozy.

Here's what I'm thinking so far for our bedroom...

I've tried to do similar colors to the adjoining nursery nook, just on a more muted palette. Now if we can find a place to store this stuff before the room is done, we'll be all set.

I think there's still some space in the bathtub.


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