About a week ago Me and Ginger ( our cat) made the long and slightly depressing trip, leaving Italy for our new home in Utah. We're here on "medical orders" until the AF says Jason can come too, at which point our things will be packed up and sent here. I've been to 2 doctors already and the baby looks great. My Parents drove out from California and we have been hanging out and looking at different neighborhoods, trying to find a good place to buy a house. Thanksgiving was spent with friends of Jason and I's from Aviano that are stationed here now. It's wonderful to have familiar faces here.
So I sit in a TLF hotel room and the only thing I want for Christmas is Jason and Samson here so we can start this new adventure together. Wishing you all a happy holiday!
Friday, November 28, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Arrivederci Italia!
Say it isn't so!!!! well, it is... Due to my pregnancy being "high risk" The Docs have decided to PCS Jason and I back to the USA and cut our European lifestyle short. :( We will be moving to the Ogden, Utah area where will be stationed at Hill AFB. All of this is happening VERY quickly! I will be leaving Italy by Thanksgiving and Jason will join me hopefully by Christmas.
As much as we LOVE Italy and Europe, we know this is what is right for us and best for the baby and me. So in our last few weeks here we are trying to see and do everything we can, just take it all in and be blessed that we've seen SO much and had SO many experiences over the past 5 years that a lot of people never have in a lifetime. More updates soon....
As much as we LOVE Italy and Europe, we know this is what is right for us and best for the baby and me. So in our last few weeks here we are trying to see and do everything we can, just take it all in and be blessed that we've seen SO much and had SO many experiences over the past 5 years that a lot of people never have in a lifetime. More updates soon....
Sunday, October 19, 2008
From Champagne Wishes to Diaper Dreams
Hey Everyone! Hope you are all enjoying a beautiful fall. Jason and I were in Heidelberg Germany last weekend and it was just beautiful! Tons of fall colors mixed with morning mist and a tall cup of starbucks... yes, life was good! Still is!
About a week or so after I got back from my romp across the champagne region of France we discovered that I was 4 weeks along with our first child! So, I guess that's the last of my extravagant wine tasting trips for awhile. I just hit week 9 and aside from having the flu, I'm feeling great. No morning sickness, a little fatigued. We are super excited and wow, were we surprised as most f you know Jason and I had started the adoption process ( just the paperwork), but that's how they say it always happens.
One bonus about being a diabetic is the frequent ultrasounds and checks. WE got to see our little blob and it's good, strong heartbeat this past Thursday. It still doesn't look like much and was wiggling so we didn't get a clear shot, but here you go! Please keep us in prayer for health and for the Docs here in Italy...
About a week or so after I got back from my romp across the champagne region of France we discovered that I was 4 weeks along with our first child! So, I guess that's the last of my extravagant wine tasting trips for awhile. I just hit week 9 and aside from having the flu, I'm feeling great. No morning sickness, a little fatigued. We are super excited and wow, were we surprised as most f you know Jason and I had started the adoption process ( just the paperwork), but that's how they say it always happens.
One bonus about being a diabetic is the frequent ultrasounds and checks. WE got to see our little blob and it's good, strong heartbeat this past Thursday. It still doesn't look like much and was wiggling so we didn't get a clear shot, but here you go! Please keep us in prayer for health and for the Docs here in Italy...
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Air Force Ball
This past Friday night Jason and I attended the 61st Birthday party of the USAF, also known as the Air Force Ball. We had a great time with our friends and were honored by the presence and speech of a Vietnam Vet and POW. Here are a few pics!
Ladies of the Chapel
My friends Tracy and Michelle
Our First AF ball! :)
Ladies of the Chapel
My friends Tracy and Michelle
Our First AF ball! :)
Champagne Adventures
Overlooking the Valley of Champagne!
Last week I left Jason and the kids ( Sam and Ging!) at home and took for a much needed girl vacation with my wonderful friend Joni. I am stealing part of her post and making it mine because she has such a better way with words than I do and besides, I took all the pictures on our trip!
Monday morning I flew to Brussels and Joni picked me up from the airport. Three hours later we were driving along the AutoRoute in France surrounded by thousands of hectares of vineyards, for as far as the eye could see in every direction. The sun was shining, the grapes were growing, and we were ready for some fun!
At the Vineyard of Moet Di Chandon
We zipped past Reims, the biggest city in the region and continued out through the countryside, crossed the River Marme and arrived in the tiny village of Reiully where we had a room booked for two nights. The Bed and Breakfast was perfectly quaint. We crept up the creaky old steps and found our little room, overlooking the garden, complete with old exposed timber roofing. The proprietor recommended a fabulous restaurant where we enjoyed some local cuisine and table wine before heading out on our first outing.
Our B&B's Owner's Garden with the B&B in the background
We drove a few kilometers down the road to the town of Hautvillers; or as Joni calls it... Hauviliurseusrssssuieursssuuuuuu where we wandered around and found a small Champagne House (Maison de Champagne). We tasted our first champagne, sat out on the lawn, admired the scenery and just soaked in the beauty of the moment in time. This town is famous worldwide as being the home of Don Perignon, the Benedictine monk who perfected the techniques for making champagne in the 18th century, however the Maison which actually the makes the champagne after his namesake is in the town of Epernay just down the hill.
The next day we had the chance to focus on the town of Epernay which is home to most of the big-name Champagne houses in the region. Beneath the city is carved hundreds of kilometers of cellars, which store millions of bottles of champagne. The cellars are carved into the chalky limestone which provide the perfect aging environment for the wine... cold and moist.
The next morning Joni, her Mom and I headed into their little Dutch town and did a little shopping until it was time to catch our plane back to Italy!
Me and Joni at Mercier
Last week I left Jason and the kids ( Sam and Ging!) at home and took for a much needed girl vacation with my wonderful friend Joni. I am stealing part of her post and making it mine because she has such a better way with words than I do and besides, I took all the pictures on our trip!
Monday morning I flew to Brussels and Joni picked me up from the airport. Three hours later we were driving along the AutoRoute in France surrounded by thousands of hectares of vineyards, for as far as the eye could see in every direction. The sun was shining, the grapes were growing, and we were ready for some fun!
At the Vineyard of Moet Di Chandon
We zipped past Reims, the biggest city in the region and continued out through the countryside, crossed the River Marme and arrived in the tiny village of Reiully where we had a room booked for two nights. The Bed and Breakfast was perfectly quaint. We crept up the creaky old steps and found our little room, overlooking the garden, complete with old exposed timber roofing. The proprietor recommended a fabulous restaurant where we enjoyed some local cuisine and table wine before heading out on our first outing.
Our B&B's Owner's Garden with the B&B in the background
We drove a few kilometers down the road to the town of Hautvillers; or as Joni calls it... Hauviliurseusrssssuieursssuuuuuu where we wandered around and found a small Champagne House (Maison de Champagne). We tasted our first champagne, sat out on the lawn, admired the scenery and just soaked in the beauty of the moment in time. This town is famous worldwide as being the home of Don Perignon, the Benedictine monk who perfected the techniques for making champagne in the 18th century, however the Maison which actually the makes the champagne after his namesake is in the town of Epernay just down the hill.
The next day we had the chance to focus on the town of Epernay which is home to most of the big-name Champagne houses in the region. Beneath the city is carved hundreds of kilometers of cellars, which store millions of bottles of champagne. The cellars are carved into the chalky limestone which provide the perfect aging environment for the wine... cold and moist.
The first stop of the day was Champagne de Castellane where we got an in-depth explanation of how champagne is made, from the first fermentation to the second fermentation, aging on the riddling racks, disgorging of the sediment, topping off and finally corking. It was a great way to start things off.
Riddling Racks in the Cellar
Second we toured the cellers of Mercier. Mercier was somewhat of a revolutionary in the field of marketing. This winery is the one that was advertised at the World Fair in Paris in 1900 from a hot air baloon. They also brought the world's largest wine barrel, by mule train to Paris as one of the most noted features at the World Fair. The champagne was great and we bought lots of souvenirs in their boutique. We rounded off our tour with the famous Moet et Chandon! We had clearly saved the best for last. This is the champagne house which actually makes Don Perignon among other fine bubblies which we got to taste at the end of the tour. We were on the last tour of the day and had a fabulous tour guide. Down in the cellars we could actually see our breath as we walked through only a small portion of the 22 kilometers of tunnels they own. It was absolutely immaculate down there. We even got to see the carved barrel that was a gift to Moet et Chandon from Napoleon who always stopped there to stock up on champagne before going into battle... except for when he went to Waterloo... and we all know what happened there...hmmmm...
The next morning Joni, her Mom and I headed into their little Dutch town and did a little shopping until it was time to catch our plane back to Italy!
Me and Joni at Mercier
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Hodge Podge of Happenings
It's Sunday evening, I am packing to leave tomorrow morning to meet my wonderful friend Joni in Belgium so we can drive to the Champagne region of France and spend the next few days touring the vineyards... Jason is upstairs on the old computer watching the footballs games. "Why" you ask "isn't he watching the TV?" Oh, that would be because the small tornado that ripped through our neighborhood took down our antenna. It also took tile shingles off the roof, several neighborhood trees down, and a light post. The big tree next to our house was struck by lightning. Thankfully no one was hurt. BUT It's opening night of the football season and after Jason and our friend Tom's attempt to climb up on the roof and repair the antenna, it was no use. Thankfully tv stations broadcast on the internet now. BONUS, he's getting a cultural / language lesson because the station is in German. But he is yelling and very happy right now, so all is well in the world.
In other news Jason and I made the decision last weekend that we are going to adopt! We are very excited, and scared abotu this journey but after much prayer on both are parts, we feel this is the road to pursue right now. We still want biological kids, but really feel this is right now us; so please keep us in prayer as we start the begninings of A LOT of paperwork!
Ok, I need to finish packing and get some sleep, got an early flight! I will post pics of my adventures when I get back. In the meantime, here's 2 storm pics from today....
Damaged Tree next to our house
Beautiful Rainbow and Reminder of God's Promise!
In other news Jason and I made the decision last weekend that we are going to adopt! We are very excited, and scared abotu this journey but after much prayer on both are parts, we feel this is the road to pursue right now. We still want biological kids, but really feel this is right now us; so please keep us in prayer as we start the begninings of A LOT of paperwork!
Ok, I need to finish packing and get some sleep, got an early flight! I will post pics of my adventures when I get back. In the meantime, here's 2 storm pics from today....
Damaged Tree next to our house
Beautiful Rainbow and Reminder of God's Promise!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
AH, summer. We have been doing a lot of NOTHING lately and it's been wonderful. We both get home at a reasonable hour and I cook dinner and we eat together. Sometimes we watch TV, sometimes we walk to town for gelato but it's the first time in a long time neither of us have a show or some project. Last Saturday we decided to head about 15 minutes up the road to a little vineyard / roadside eatery called "Il Chiosco". There we joined a handful of Italians and other tourists for a light lunch of FRESH speck (smoked ham), melon and caprese ( mozzarella cheese and tomatoes). After we ate we took a walk through the vineyards and enjoyed the beautiful views of the mountains and vines. The quickly ripening grapes reminded us that a new season is coming soon... harvest and fall. Both of us will be busy again soon with theater, Jason will be in school and somewhere in my spare time I am finally learning to play guitar. Till then we relax and cherish this SLOW time together...We hope all of you are well and enjoying your summer as much as we are :)
.
mmm...HUNGRY!
Gettin some SAMMY love!
The Vineyards
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