Celebrations In Tuscany
After a month on our own in Portugal, the Parets were beyond excited to meet up with family (and friends who are family) in Castellina in Chianti for a week of momentous celebrations. This was a long-planned trip and an anchor point for our summer travels. It started as my sister’s 40th birthday trip and we’re lucky she opened up her birthday celebration to include many other significant occasions.
Cast of Characters
The Parets and all our baggage (at this point what we downsized in suitcases we’ve upsized in emotions. Reality has set in for the kids - we’re not going ‘home’; we don’t have a home). Rosie turned 10 on our last day in Tuscany! We celebrated with a pool party complete with competitions, pasta salad, and cake.
Chrissy, Senol and Alexander: 40th birthday girl extraordinaire, her husband— the most patient and fun brother-In-law— and their son, my favorite nephew, who is an amazing 8. The three spent time in Italy prior to meeting up with us and then headed on to Turkey to visit Senol’s family.
Jean and Lenny: My parents (aka Grammy and Grandaddy), based in North Carolina, whose wedding anniversary is the same day as Rosie’s birthday. This year was their 50th! (#goals) We also celebrated Lenny turning 70 this summer!
Kristeena and Britt: Kristeena (Auntie KK to the kids) is one of my college roommates and besties; she turned 44 the day we arrived in Tuscany. Britt is her fiance, who earned the title ‘Auntie Britt’ rather than ‘Miss Britt’ by the end of the week (let’s just say she is the ultimate child whisperer). They have 2 awesome boys who we missed seeing, but Ethan and Aidan got to spend the week with their grandmother while their Moms hung out with us.
Setting
Ah, Tuscany. It was our first time there and it was as beautiful as it is in all the movies. Our villa was a restored farmhouse with an incredible view and big pool, with a terrace and dining table to seat all of us and more. We couldn’t get enough of the rolling hillsides landscaped in shades of green divided by stone walls, sunsets in so many colors, fat, juicy grapes hanging in picture-perfect pyramids by the side of every road. We visited many medieval walled towns - Volterra, Siena, San Miniato and San Gimignano. We had amazing meals at home and at restaurants. We went truffle-hunting and biking… both of which will be detailed in their own post.
Plot
11 family members meet in Tuscany to celebrate many occasions and enjoy each other’s company. The events, excursions and food were fun, amazing, delectable and everything one hopes for in Italy. The bedtimes were tough, the kids fought as much as they played, the wine was as necessary as it was delicious, and there were some tense times (as with any family gathering). But we survived and even enjoyed it, and as always, the pictures and memories tell a beautiful, idyllic story. All of the smiles are real. All of the tears are omitted.
Resolution
Chrissy, Senol, Jess, Russ, Kristeena and Britt are dreaming about meeting in Tuscany to live together on a family compound in the not-so-distant future. We may or may not let our kids join us.
