Time for another Traveling With Kids post over on creative parenting site Classic Play. This time I delve deep into why Amsterdam is my favourite city to travel to as a family. I fell in love with this city as a carefree 20 year old (wink wink) and I love it even more as a traveling mama. Read about all my favourite sites, bites and things to do with kids in this fantastic city here.
Many many thanks to my super talented bloggy pals Deepa, Judith and Giova for helping out with this post!
Despite the sadness of losing my children’s only great-grandfather this past week I can’t help but feel so grateful for the time we all had together. We have been so fortunate to know and spend time with this amazingly dynamic man who put family in the centre of his life. His enthusiasm for everything from art to travel to the goings-on of his very large immediate family was contagious (as well as his famous giggle). We’ll miss him dearly but have many lovely memories to remember him by.
Some images that made me smile despite the sad news this week:
The best reading corner in the house on a sunny day. Also perfect or a sun-spot nap.
Last days of summer hats and dresses.
Trying to paint a kitchen with a large clumsy cat in the middle of it all actually makes it much more fun. For me at least.
I run into Idyllic little scenes such as this every single day. I love living in Italia.
Have a great week!
Gratefully Grateful
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I’m going to be honest up front here and say that September is not my favourite month. After the summer holidays and being with my kids day in and day out I always find September and back-to-school such a lonely time of year.
I need to re-adjust to being solo for the most part of my days. I need to re-adjust to having an empty and hauntingly silent (and tidy) house. I need to re-adjust to having time for myself and doing groceries and errands without three chatty kids with me.
In the end I just plain miss my kids during the 10 months of school each year. I even offered to home-school them at a certain point but was politely told that it was never going to happen.
But I know in a few short weeks I’ll have my life more organised, lots of activities scheduled, projects lined up and my feet back firmly on the ground.
Anyone else out there feel the same way around this time of year?
Here are a few images from our summer vacation. Even if we had record breaking bad weather it really was a great one.
Evidence that my daughter is a lover of stripes. Just like her Mama.
*taken in Albissola Marina, Liguria*
So grateful that we can arrive at the Meditteranean in less than two hours. My kids spent our days there body surfing in the warm water, eating gelato and foccacia and doing crosswords under the parasol with their Mama.
I will always and forever love geraniums. Amen.
Bikes in a charming courtyard in the centre of Milan.
Lovely memories of eating at this little wine bar at a local lake. Their cheese plate served with champagne jelly is life changing.
Wishing you all a lovely week ahead.
Gratefully Grateful
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Here I am sitting in my living room and catching my breath after a whirlwind summer road trip with my family. Emphasis being on road. We did A LOT of driving. 4000km in two weeks type of a lot.
*Italy-Switzerland-Germany-Luxembourg-Belgium-Holland-Belgium-France-England-France-Belgium-Holland-Belgium-Luxembourg-Germany-Switzerland-Italy*
Many many beautiful family memories were made but I can’t tell you how happy I was to drive up our driveway a few days ago and be greeted by the famous Birdie The Cat. Coming home is always like a sigh of relief.
So in the last 5 days we haven’t gone near our car, not even to go to the grocery store. In times like this I’m happy I keep a well stocked kitchen.
Now off to enjoy the last weeks of summer vacation with my three favourite little people (who aren’t so little anymore).
Here are a few images that bring back summer memories and a heart full of gratefulness.
My girls have been bitten by the ever present loom bug. And I am the proud owner of about 250 plastic bracelets now.
I’ve fallen in love with Brighton and it’s abundance of buntings and beach carousels.
Traveling as a family of four for a week was such a change (one daughter was in Holland attending a Film Camp). The family dynamic was so different to what we’re used to and getting a hotel room was so much easier (and cheaper!). 
Look how happy I was to hike the Seven Sister Cliffs in Seaford, England. And just behind us they were shooting a new Sherlock Holmes film. Surprisingly enough they did not approach me to do a cameo jump shot in the movie.
Wishing you a great week!
Gratefully Grateful
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*Not long ago Inghams Italy Travel Site and Tours contacted me about sharing some of my experiences about living and traveling in Italy as a family. Inghams Italy compensated me for writing this post but all experiences, thoughts and ideas are my own.
Over the last 13 years my husband and I have lived and raised our 3 children in Italy and done our fair share of exploring this beautiful country as a family. When considering travelling to Italy, one traditionally thinks of the wealth of historical sites, the breathtaking art and architecture, and one of the best loved cuisines, all within the stunning natural beauty from the Alps to the Aegean – a perfect tourist destination.
But, one of the things I love most about Italy, is that it is a family centric culture. Here, in Italy, family has the highest priority and this shows in how they treat travellers to their country, especially families.
Inevitably, you will encounter kind and generous people who will go out of their way to make your small travellers happy and comfortable. Italians love the little ones and aren’t shy to show it – usually by squeezing cheeks and loudly proclaiming “che bel bambino!”. No worries, your kids will get used to it and will most likely return home with an amazing sense of self-confidence.
Living in Italy has given us the inside scoop on the best places to visit, most comfortable accommodations, favourite places to eat out and just about anything else you would need to know about traveling through Italy in famiglia.
Food: 
Italy is world renown for its delectable cuisine and luckily it’s also one that most kids absolutely adore. On just about any menu your kids will find something they’ll love to eat (and recognise). Some favourites of local Italian kids are Pasta Rossa (pasta with tomato sauce), Riso Giallo (saffron risotto), Milanese con Patatine (breaded pork cutlet with french fries) and of course Pizza Margherita (pizza with tomato sauce and mozzarella). And if you don’t see something your child likes on the menu don’t be afraid to ask – they are usually more than willing to whip up a simple pasta for the little ones. My kid’s favourite thing to order in a restaurant is a variety or antipasto plates. You can’t go wrong with sliced meats, cheeses, olives and fresh Italian bread.
Gelato:
Of course one of the main gastronomic attractions for kids in Italy (and adults actually) is the iconic Italian gelato. Gelaterias are found on just about every street corner and are usually made with fresh, high quality ingredients. A promised gelato will help kids get through the museum visits, the long hours of pavement pounding, the intense summer heat and the over exhaustion of traveling that can sometimes get too much for them. Look for signs that say Gelato Artigianale for the highest quality and home-made ice cream. And remember in the hot summer months it’s quite normal to visit a gelateria more than once a day!
Beaches:
When traveling with kids you can never go wrong with a beach visit. And Italy boasts both a myriad of coastlines and beautiful lakes to choose from. The world famous Costa Amalfitana (Unesco World Heritage Site), the Ligurian coast with it’s famous Cinque Terre villages, the Northern Lakes including Lago Como and Lago Maggiore and the pristine aquamarine waters of Sardinia will be appreciated by the whole family.
Italian beaches are very family friendly with chairs and umbrellas for rent, small beach playgrounds and restaurants just metres from the water’s edge. From here, parents can enjoy a plate of fresh Fritto Misto while watching the kids frolic in the warm waters. Warning: since one has to pay for a space, these beaches can end up being quite pricey but well worth it for a few days of relaxing family time.
Read on for more tips for traveling in Italy as a family…
My newest Traveling With Kids column is up on Classic Play today. This time I’m talking about the Couch Surfing organisation and how it turns out to be quite family friendly. Surprising for everyone, I’m sure. I’m still not 100% sold on the idea but I find it so fascinating. Pop on over and let me know what you think and, more importantly, if you would ever do it.
This has to be the strangest July weather-wise since I moved to Italy 13 years ago. Usually at this time of year the weather is unbearably hot and humid and all we want to do is eat gelato and swim at the lake. This year July has offered us cool temperature, lots of rain and even some hail and wind storms. My kids keep telling me that it just doesn’t feel “summery” at all (except when we decided to head to Milan on Saturday and it was 38 degrees and nauseatingly muggy).
I personally am not complaining because we’ve been able to get house projects done without sweating profusely and we manage to actually sleep at night without the need of fans blowing from every direction (and last night we even needed to dig out a blanket).
But I know the intense heat will arrive and with it that lazy summery rhythm that we all love and look forward to.
Here are a few of my favourite images from the last little while.
Despite the milder temps we still make time to visit the lake on a daily basis. We love those long lazy evenings with friends on the beach enjoying impromptu aperitivo picnics.
My view from the picnic blanket. I’m not complaining.
A little family project that we’ve been working on this summer. The kids pooled their savings and purchased this vintage camper. Unbelievable how much it has changed since this photo was taken. More pics soon.
Colourful walls in Milan. And long skinny 12 year old legs.
I came across this shot I took of Sweet Paul’s Coconut Rice Pudding with Mango and Thai Basil. Must make again soon. So good.
Have a great week everyone!
Gratefully Grateful
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A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of testing out a new Cultural/Travel App called Musement. It was a great experience and an app that I’ll be using often on my family’s upcoming travels. Find out what it’s all about and how it can make your travels a lot less stressful and enjoyable over on Classic Play (as well as what we did with it!). Hint: it involves skipping line-ups at your favourite museums and events!
Oh June. You’re a month that knocks me off my feet. The end-of-year parties, going-away parties, birthday parties, school parties, bbq parties, recitals, plays, events and just about anything else you can think of have been keeping our days (and most evenings) BUSY.
Not to mention the World Cup which is all everyone is talking about over here in Italy. Usually we’re a family that knows absolutely nothing about football (soccer). We don’t understand the game, wouldn’t recognise a player if he walked past us nor really ever cared about who was winning or losing. But somehow that has all changed and my Belgian husband and kids have become crazed. You should have heard them screaming when Belgium made the winning shot (goal?) in last night’s game. Hilarious.
Here are a few images to add to my Gratefully Grateful series…
Test shot for our upcoming photo booth at a local pyjama run in support of kids with cancer. A few years ago we folded those paper cranes (actually 1000 in total) for a little friend of ours who was diagnosed with a brain tumour. He’s doing really well at the moment and we couldn’t be happier. (holy top knot!)
If you follow me on Instagram you would have seen a similar photo to the one above. I bought these golden raspberries at a local farm and have fallen head over heels for this fruit. Sweeter than the traditional red ones but with a with a slightly different taste. Can’t wait to make an Italian Crostata with Golden Raspberry Jam in the coming days.
Happy to have this little guy back after 4 days away from home. He had a blast in the mountains with his class but was overwhelmed with joy at the Welcome Home banner that his sisters made for his return.
Last week our new couches arrived and with it 5 huge cardboard boxes. My kids got out the paints and spent hours playing with and decorating those boxes. Love that. Who says tweens are miserable and always bored? Mine definitely aren’t.
Have a great week!
Gratefully Grateful
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It has been a busy and eventful few weeks around here. My mom arrived from Canada for a long awaited three week visit and I turned the big 40 years old. Now I just have to get used to writing and saying the word 40. I’m pretty convinced that this is going to be a glowing and wonderful phase of my life.
I’m so lucky to be heading into my 40s with so many beautiful things in my life: my three incredible kids, my loving and patient husband, the fact that I live in one of the most gorgeous countries, my (relatively) good health, all my amazing family (I still have my 2 grandmothers!), the ability to show my kids the world and my circle of loving and hilarious friends. How could it not be a great new phase of my life?
Here are a few images of what has made me happy lately.
Spending the last day in my 30’s driving around in this old Citroen and dining at the famous restaurant D’O. The car may be loud and feel like a tin can but the funk factor cancels all that out.
A little visit to a local villa for a lovely rose market and exhibition. Lots of new rose plants have made it into my garden the last few days.
The poppies that are in bloom everywhere you look at the moment. That bright orangey red pop of colour on the green fields is so gorgeous.
These stunning rose bouquets. I would love to fill every room of my home with these.
Wishing you all a lovely week ahead.
Gratefully Grateful
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About
Jillian in Italy Interview by Classic Play!
Jillian In Italy interview on Pret A Voyager
Embroidery With Kids
Father's Day Origami Garland
Miniature Bulletin Boards
Surprise Activity Garland
Italian Crostata Recipe
Snail Mail Booklets
Doily Fairy Lights
Jan Fabre Exhibit With Kids
Japanese Handicrafts
Miniature Waffle Cookies
Jillian In Italy 
