This morning we left our AirBnB an hour after we had planned. Sometimes the kids make their own schedule, no matter how much extra time you pad in there. Fortunately Italians are very easy going, so when Amir returned the rental car two hours late, they didn’t even blink.

The whole reason we are here in Italy is to celebrate the Bat Mitzvah of my youngest niece. My sister and her family moved to Florence (or Firenze as it’s called in Italian), about seven years ago. They initially said they were coming on a two year rental… then two turned into four, four into “we’re taking it year by year”… until they bought the house they were renting. They are here for good now. I’m not complaining.

The last of our three AirBnB rentals for this trip wins out for best location. We’re situated right on the Arno River with a view of Ponte Vecchio from all three of our windows.

I’m excited for the leg of our vacation, as I have some of my closest relatives who have traveled here as well for the event. The last two times we’ve all seen each other have been for my father’s funeral, and then just a year later and unexpectedly, his brother, my uncle. We’d commented how we need to get together for something fun for once and here it is.


Tomorrow we have a reservation for lunch at a nice restaurant my sister swears is kid-welcoming. I really hope she’s right as I really don’t want to get kicked out of the first place we try in Florence.

It looks like I might actually get to bed before midnight tonight!
~Steph