24 May Italy 2019 | Florence, Val d’Orcia and Rome

Florence is where I found my love of photography. I attended a program there when I was, well let’s just say it was a time of film and dark rooms, and I vowed to return soon after I left. Fast forward SEVENTEEN years and I finally did it. It was our first time leaving Hadley together for more than an overnight, and while we knew she’d have the time of her life with her grandparents, it was still a bit difficult to get on the plane (cue the whiskey and wine).

Once there, it became slightly easier to be away, but it took a few days to shake off the cobwebs of our independent selves and remember life pre-parenthood. Don’t get me wrong, we still talked about Hadley all the time, but sleeping in, staying up late over incredible dinners, and exploring (or re-exploring in some cases) these old Italian streets, castles, museums, and farms reminded us of who we were–and still are! We won’t always leave Hadley behind because we want to show her the world too, but I think creating this uninterrupted space to reconnect was, and is, essential to who we are and the health of our little family unit. It was good for all of us!

Many of you followed along on our journey through my Instagram stories so you know I shot a ton with my phone. I did also lug my HEAVY Nikon (aka: The Beast) with me, and while I didn’t always take it out on our explorations (I usually left it behind when we went to museums or out for dinner), I thought it would be nice to share a few of my favorite photos from some of the places we visited. Also, here’s a quick overview of our adventures: Florence >> San Gimignano >> Montalcino (so quiet and friendly) >> Val d’Orcia region (we stayed out on a farm here and it was stunning) >> Pienza >> San Bagni Fillipo (free hot springs) >> Montepulciano >> Chiusi >> Rome and the Vatican (neither one of us were fans of the Vatican, but we did it so now we never have to do it again–haha) Thanks for following along. Enjoy!