Jenny Marrs Reflects on Family Time in Italy and ‘Biblical Command to Rest’
By Movieguide® Contributor
FIXER TO FABULOUS star Jenny Marrs is reflecting on the biblical command to rest and her family’s time in Italy.
“A quick google search generates 206 verses on the biblical command to rest,” Marrs wrote. “Yes, we must work and toil and seek our purpose while here on earth, yet, in order to be truly effective, we must be intentional about rest. For me, rest can look like a Sunday afternoon nap or a walk in the woods or a necessary pause on the daily demands of a hectic life.”
She recalled the memories she and her family shared while on vacation in Italy.
“In the summer of 2021, our family was in desperate need of rest after a demanding year,” she wrote. “So, we cashed in airline miles, turned off our cell phones and brought the kids for their first visit to one of my absolute favorite places on earth: Italy.”
“We spent time in off-the-beaten-path villages where we practiced the melodic language, ate unforgettable meals prepared with fresh ingredients, kicked soccer balls in nearly-vacant piazzas, explored ancient cathedrals and marveled at the astounding handiwork of God as we took in the beauty of mountains and sea,” she continued.
“Every visit to Italy leaves me longing for more. I find the country, her people and the array of culture unendingly captivating. Watching this magical land woo my kids for the first time was sheer joy,” Marrs concluded. “You can take a trip down memory lane with me and read about the kid’s first trip (along with travel recommendations) in my old blog post linked in my profile. Yep, it’s back to Italy content here in preparation for tomorrow night! Another new episode of FIXER TO FABULOUS: ITALIANO! ??”
FIXER TO FABULOUS: ITALIANO is the Marrs’ latest project with HGTV..
“Dave and Jenny journey to Italy’s Tuscan countryside from their hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas, to revitalize a grand villa for longtime friends. The six-episode season documents the Marrs, who first visited Italy as newlyweds, as they execute a monumental restoration of the centuries-old property,” a summary from HGTV reads.
Renovating in a country where they didn’t speak the native language and that had very different construction practices presented the couple with unique challenges.
“We were in a country where we didn’t fluently speak the language, working with construction practices that I had never worked with. These houses are made of 3-foot-thick stone walls. Trying to find a shop to build stuff in, where I’m used to that at home, trying to find product in cities and in a country where you just don’t know the area. So, literally every turn was a challenge,” Jenny’s husband, Dave, explained.
However, the couple is open to doing more projects in Europe.
“Europe for HGTV is an untapped market,” Dave noted. “I think to see us over there in Italy, Great Britain or anywhere doing a project, I would love to. It’s all ratings-based, so if a lot of people watch this, and it does well, we’ll see. I think people will have a great experience watching the show and learning about an amazing culture.”
FIXER TO FABULOUS: ITALIANO premiered on March 12.
Movieguide® previously reported:
Dave and Jenny Marrs are taking their home renovation skills across the world for their new show FIXER TO FABULOUS: ITALIANO…
The couple shared some details about the show in an interview with TV Insider.
“Overall, it was a stressful project,” Jenny explained. “If we were just helping our friends remodel their house in Italy, it would normally take two or three years. But we had a production schedule to meet. We had to try to get everything moved up quickly. That was the biggest challenge, trying to hit those production deadlines with an Italian crew.”
Despite the challenges the Marrs’ faced, Dave said they would do projects like this again…
He continued, “I think people will have a great experience watching the show and learning about an amazing culture. A lot of things I think America can learn from. Just some beautiful architecture, landscapes, and wonderful people. It was a good experience.”
Jenny also posted some thoughts about the project on Instagram, writing, “At the very beginning of this renovation, I prayed a simple prayer: ‘Lord, let this be a blessing and not a burden.’”
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