Our wake-up calls came at 7:45, and we met downstairs for our first Italian breakfast at 8:30. . . well, most of us. We had a room of girls that slept through 4 wake up phone calls but awoke sleepily to their friendly chaperones pounding on the door. Luckily they are fast dressers and were totally ready when it was time to go.

By 9:15 we were on our way to the Vatican. Our tour guide, Luca, was excellent. He gave us lots of information and spoke English very well. Poor MC was a little sickly early in the game. Not sure what was wrong, but we had scored a trash bag earlier and were prepared when things went south.

By the time we hit the map room, MC was ill again and Rachel had fallen as well. She was pale, clammy and looking to pass out. The rest of the group moved on while Perkins and Toney threw on their mama skills and took care of the girls. We moved quickly past the crowds much to their distress (Cause we were so desperate to see the Raphael room, don't cha know. We couldn't wait 15 minutes to stand in line with the crowd. ha ha. They understood once they caught sight of our patients.)

The museum guards very sweetly let us into a nurses station where we monitored the girls, got them back on their feet and joined the rest at the Sistine Chapel. Mothers: fear not, both are in good health now. They are total troopers.
As we were leaving the Vatican (Its own country for those of you that don't know) we decided to get a photo of the kids standing in two countries at once.

After the Vatican and lunch, we headed towards the Coliseum. It is still there. And still huge. We proceeded to walk over to the forum. Besides enjoying the ruins, the kids took time to jump for joy at being in Rome and to reinact the death of Julius Caesar. Are your kids this much fun at home? Cause y'all are totally going to miss them when they are gone to college.

Leaving the Forum, we moved toward the Pantheon.

By this time, Perkins was quite desperate for a gelato so emergency food needs were cared for as everyone scattered before meeting back up and heading towards Piazza Navona and the Fountain of the Four Rivers.

There are many Romans making their living doing street "work" (tap dancers, mimes, statues of liberty such.) The silver drunk statue came awake for coins and gave Audrey a fist thump hello.


Dinner was lovely affair of pizza and salad. We ATE IT UP. So very good.

After dinner we made a stop at the Trevi fountain. Coins were flying through the air as wishes were made. Girls were cautioned against three coins, since that means that they would return to Rome and marry a Roman. We thought a nice Texas boy would be better for all ; )

By 10pm, it looked like everyone was about to fall over (including the chaperones) so we returned to the hotel to get some rest before another big day tomorrow.

Before bed checks were done, the sleep-in girls were sure to invite Perkins over for a demonstration of their phones. Although the bathroom phone rang loudly, with the door shut it was hardly audible, and the bedroom phone rang not at all. They were promised a Perkins special wake-up call which includes singing and usually something being thrown at Perkins. But, I'm a giver, so I'm doing it anyway.

In the meantime, Jess was hard at work going through his 600 pictures taken in two days, but the boys promised to go to bed soon.