Belissima!

The Month of Love

Jon cooked some yummmmmmmy dishes

Taco Salad

Tossing the grilled onions

dinnnnnner

Steak with sauteed onions, cauliflour mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus and broccoli, and grilled and spiced zucchini 

Veggie stir-fry, marinara meatballs, and sauteed spinach and asparagus 

 Homemade pizza with goat cheese, spinach, onions, zucchini, and chicken

Chicken Parmesan with marinara spaghetti and zucchini

...We like Zucchini

Studying Italian outside of Pineapple Grill overlooking the
beautiful mountain side of Maui

Almost every dinner here is some kinda of Italian dish. Not only is Italian food amazing, but we are preparing for our European Vacation in Italy. After my Italian class every Friday, we go to lunch and I reteach Jon everything I learned. Its a great quality time with each other and lots of fun. It then inspires Jonny to cook some Italian dishes that night.
         Even though I am the student taking the Italian classes... Jon is way better than me, and better than anyone in the class even! He's got this innate Italian signore with an awesome Italian accent. And the tendency to use his hands when speaking Italian. Italians can't NOT use their hands in speaking to another. My yogi Italian teacher says with every conversation they use hand movements (Yogi means yoga fanatic, she's a yoga teacher. Which means she's awesome). If you don't use your hands, your not a real Italian. Somehow Jon knew this with out hearing that from the teacher and finds the perfect pronunciation for the Italian words when he uses his hands. Atehe, my uomo italiano! (My Italian man) With a last name like Russo and with his looks, I guess it makes sense why it comes so easily to him. 

LOVE this surf board fence alongside a Paia house on the way to Italian class in Haiku

      You may ask... Well then why doesn't he go to the class with you. Not a money issue, just an "I hate school" issue. He doesn't seem to have a problem learning from his hot teacher Mrs. Russo... (me) but sitting in a classroom stuck in one seat for 2 hours is just not his thing. His immediate High School response would be to fall asleep. (When we started dating in High School and I told my friends and classmates who I was dating, they'd said... who? oh. the guy that sleeps in my ~Algebra class ~Computer class ~Spanish class ~Pre calculus class...)

Staircase down to the school house

          My Italian class ended that was taught at the local University and the teacher gave the option to continue at her school up in Haiku. I love learning Italian so of course I carried on the class. The first class was last Friday. The class is in the teacher's (insegnante=teacher in italian) back yard in a hand built school house at the back of her property. It's adreoable. If only I had class in this school house during highschool or college, I would be so much more inclined to pay attention, listen, not daydream. It's so uplifting. The inside of the small schoolhouse is painted yellow and orange. It overlooks the green tropical fields behind it, out onto the ocean. The temperature is perfect. We didn't even use the lights because it was so well lit from natural light from all of the windows. I just fell in love with that classroom. I have another 7 classes (every Friday) and depending on how many students want to continue after that we may go another couple of weeks.

School House. The sky and ocean turned white in this photo. Next pic is the outlook

My girlfriend put together a darling valentines party

The host of the party recently got a young young puppy. She got her when she was 5 weeks old! So when jen had to go out of town I volunteered to puppy sit for her. The puppy is named Velvet. A little velvet lab!

The View from Jen's porch in Lahaina!!

My girlfriend took this picture that same night of the amazing sunset

Another girlfriend got a puppy as well! (and another girlfriend... everyone's getting puppies but me! :( ) sarah's puppy is a mix with some lab in her, not sure what the other breed is. Naturally I've become Auntie Tiffany to this doggie. Sarah is a new pet owner with many questions and reluctant for the many visits and lessons I do with her pup because, let's face it, raising a puppy is hard!

Jonny playing with Wrinkles

Trying to find her sweet spot

 I taught Wrinkles how to fetch. How to sit. Drop it. We took her on her first car ride. She hadn't even been on a walk (she needed her last shots before she could go out) so she LOVED her first car ride. She was so excited and loving it so much that we took her on too long of a ride... and she got sick... right into my purse. BUMMER. Major bummer, but I was concerned for the car sick pup. We got her home and as I cleaned up the car and my goods inside the purse, she went to the back and poop and peed a bunch. At least she didn't do that in the car. Somehow I rathered that over being pooped on haha. After she got her shots I went with Sarah to take her on her first walk, teaching Sarah what to be prepared for, how to untangle Wrinkles' legs and be aware of her tangling YOUR feet and tripping you!

On another note. We put down a deposit and payment for first month's rent in our NEW PLACE. We move in April 1st. We have definitely outgrown this little studio apartment. Literally. there's not much room for anything. Our kitties will love the extra room, I'll love not getting woken up when Jon heads off the work at 6:30am, Jon will love the extra ventilation with a bigger place, and We'll all enjoy the amazing VIEW!! The apartment/condo is on the top floor of a condo resort called Kahana Villas. 6th floor across from a prime surf spot called "S-Turns." I can't wait to wake up to the ocean view, sit on the private lanai and drink some coffee while watching the early morning surfers. It is a one bedroom with a loft and a pull out couch. It includes a washer and dryer (Yay) a dishwasher (YAAAAAY) and is fully furnished!! I didn't snap a photo of the view when we were checking it out because I didn't know we were going to accept the offer 10 minutes later after talking about it privately. But trust me, you'll see the photos in an upcoming blog.


Work is about to get CARAZY with Spring breaks from all the different schools and different states, countries, etc that take Spring break at a different time, and Maui is a major vacation spot...obviously. And Hula Grill is one of the most famous and memorable restaurants on the island. Needless to say, I'm going to be busy, tired, and very blessed.


Until next time...

Maui No Ka Oi