Another Visitor, More Excuses to Travel and Drink Vino

Visitors are great! It's always nice to have a reminder of home. But, it also means you get to eat, drink, travel, and be merry. This was such a lighthearted, warm, friendly, loving visit. Not only did Terry (my mother-in-law for those who don't know) come, but her husband Charlie came this time, as well. It was so nice having the two of them here. They are absolutely precious. They found each other later in life, but they were most definitely "meant to be." Charlie went outside his comfort box many times on this trip. He doesn't like the taste of anything with alcohol in it, with the exception of a strawberry margarita...thanks to me, making him try it one time in the past. ;) But, boy, was he a TROOPER!!! He tried so many different wines and even REQUESTED to drink wine at supper on some nights. On the other nights, he just wanted his "dew" (mountain dew). He even went home with some wine that he LOVED. He called it grape juice, but I promise you...Marzemino is definitely not grape juice. We had a lot of adventures during their time here... lets begin...

I'm pretty sure the biggest adventure for them was the trip over here. It is such a long plane ride, but well worth it in the end (I'm sure) to see us. They even brought Thomas some brisket, tamales, and deer sausage. Yes... it was still frozen when they got here. Let's just say, our freezer is completely full. So, if I ever want something other than those above 3 foods I have to buy it the day of.

We did a lot of local things with them while they were here. Of course, in Italy, anything local is fantastic. I mean, come on, let's face it..it's Italy. It is amazing, no matter where you go. Period. If you don't think so, then you are just plain strange. We took them up to Monte Berico in Vicenza. There is a beautiful church that is surrounded by an amazing view of the city of Vicenza. Apparently, Monte Berico is known for being the site where a peasant man named Vicenza Pasini saw the Virgin Mary on this hill in 1426. At that time a plague had been going on for years and the Virgin Mary promised them if they built a church up on the hill she would get rid of the plague.The people had the church built in 3 months.

I was filled with excitement for our next event. I organized a wine tasting and carriage ride through an amazing vineyard that is close by, Le Pignole. These people are so welcoming and provided us with the best wines and foods. It was so nice to have some of my closest friends there with my family. It was also wonderful to finally have the boys at something too. The carriage ride through the vineyard was so surreal. How many times in your life do you get to experience something like this? Living here can feel so normal at times and then other times it's like living in a fairy tale.

  Our first big trip was to the town of Imperia along the Italian Riviera. We went some other close friends of ours. On this adventure, we got to eat some good food, drink some good wine...wait a minute...we get to do that on every trip. ;) We met some more interesting and friendly people on this trip. We even had a random man come up to the boys thanking them for their service. He found out they were in the military and immediately wanted to talk to all of us. He got stranded at sea and the U.S. military saved him. He was so thankful and appreciative. The girls did a day of browsing the shops while the boys boarded a boat out to sea for a fishing trip. Unfortunately, they got a few bites, but never caught anything. That night we had a beautiful meal and ended the night with listening to music from the piano by candlelight.

 After our trip to Imperia, we took a couple rest days and then we went for a day trip to Venice, Murano Island, and Burano Island. Most people know that Murano Island is known for glass making, but what you may not know is that Burano Island is known for lace and bright colored houses. While in Murano, we got to see a man blow glass. Its amazing that something that movable becomes a hard glass. It looked like he was blowing a bubble at first.

After Murano, we boarded the water taxi and headed to Burano Island. As you walk up the main path you immediately see the bright colored houses. They are stunning! I would love to live in one of them. The streets are lined with lots and lots of lace...lace dresses, lace scarves, lace umbrellas, etc. etc. etc. Then we found this little art place with some amazing, bright colored paintings of the town. So, naturally we bought one. It's big and very bright, but that's what the town is like...very bright. The man who sold the painting is actually the artist. He explained to us that the houses in Burano were different, bright colors because each family has it's own color. So, the color represents the family. How neat is that? I wonder what my color would be...

 Marostica is a province of Vicenza and is known for local cherries and a live chess game. Every other even number year, in September, the whole town puts on this festival that includes a live chess tournament. I went last September and it was a spectacular event. Here is a quick history lesson, compliments of Wikipedia, about how this event came to be...

 "After the First World War, members of the local chess club began playing chess in the main square and decided to play a game of chess using people as the gamepieces. After the Second World War, the comedy writer Vucetich Mirko authored a play in which "Two noblemen, Renaldo D'Anganaro and Vieri da Vallanora, fell in love with the beautiful Lionora, daughter of the local lord, Taddeo Parisio. As was the custom at that time, they challenged each other to a duel to win the hand of Lionora. The Lord of Marostica, not wanting to make an enemy of either suitor or lose them in a duel, forbade the encounter. Instead he decreed that the two rivals would play a chess game, and the winner would have the hand of Lionora. The loser of the chess game would also join the family, through marrying her younger sister, Oldrada. During the play the game takes place on the square in front of the Lower Castle with supporters carrying the noble ensigns of Whites and Blacks, in the presence of the Lord, his noble daughter, the Lords of Angarano and Vallonara, the court and the entire town population. The Lord also decides the challenge would be honoured by an exhibition of armed men, foot-soldiers and knights, with fireworks and dances and music". Needless to say, this literary account has nothing to do with factual history and the chess square in the city was built after the Second World War and after the writing of Vucetich's play. This fictional story is now re-enacted in the main square of Marostica every second Friday, Saturday and Sunday of September of even-numbered years. The orders are still given to the cast today in the local Language (Venetian) of the "Most Serene Republic of Venice".

Marostica is so close that it is always a must-see when people come to visit. After a hike, you get to see the city from a different perspective. It's another breathtaking view. After our hike, we had lunch down in town. All of the food was amazing!! I loved my asparagus risotto. Asparagus is in season here now and it is fantastic!!!

Our next trip was to Vidiciatico and Florence. If you have read some of my previous posts, looked at my pictures, or talked to me, you know that Vidiciatico is where Thomas' Poppoing fought during WWII where he helped liberate the Italians from Germany. The town of Vidiciatico, as well as, the surrounding towns have so many American flags hung and 10th Mountain memorials. They are all so thankful for America. We found a hotel in the center of town that served us massive amounts of delicious, homemade pasta. The owner, in true Vidiciatico fashion, was very hospitable. We took the hike up Monte Belvedere. This is where Thomas' Poppoing executed a mission during WWII. For his family, it is a special journey up to the top. We basically were walking where he once walked. Thomas and his mom told us stories that Poppoing had told them while on this same hike back in 2000. After a day in Vidiciatico, we drove to Florence for the day. We did all the traditional Florence things with them. Terry and Charlie were troopers climbing the 463 steps to the top of the Duomo. Their efforts were well worth it when they saw the view up top. After a full day in Florence, we headed back to Vicenza.

The next day was their last day here. It was spent packing and buying wine. We left the house at 430 a.m. the next morning to drop them off at the airport. It was a great trip and we were happy to have them here.

Suddenly, block leave was over...Thomas is back at work now and it's time for us to get back to a normal routine.

Slacking a bit? Oh yeah...

I am very disappointed in myself for neglecting my blog. It's been completely placed on the back burner. However, I guess it's for good reason. A little over a month ago, my Thomas finally returned from Afghanistan. The last few weeks went by extremely slow. His flight schedule kept consistently changing. Even though I've been there, done that, and picked up the t-shirt...it was still extremely disappointing. However, I have never been through seeing so many homecomings before getting to do my own. Homecomings are a wonderful thing for all involved. Words cannot describe it. You have to witness it to really understand the surreal feeling of seeing these guys come home. From the looks on the wives' and children's faces to the screams you here from everyone and the patriotic music you hear playing in the background. It's a truly inspiring, emotional experience.

Now, as beautiful and delightful as it is to be at someone else's homecoming, it is also a tad disappointing. As much as you are happy for everyone else, a part of you is selfishly wishing it was your turn... especially when your husband ends up coming home on the last day of homecomings. At that point, I was done...over it.

 I did remind myself though to remember those who weren't coming home. That is a feeling I cannot imagine. Those women are the bravest I know. I respect and admire them everyday.

 All in all, despite the stress, the tears, the heartache, the emotion, and all the ups and downs that come with a deployment, it is all worth it in the end when you have that first sighting of them walking through the door. I was a giddy, screaming mess. Everyone asked Thomas if he saw me or heard me first. Thomas says he could hear me screaming before he ever walked in the door. Once we reached the pray portion, I was shaking and fidgeting with excitement. I couldn't believe the moment was almost here. The ceremony was so much quicker than at Bragg. It was like bing, bang, boom, over...run to your soldier!!! Once again, words cannot express the feeling. Memories of homecomings are something I will never forget. It makes deployment seem like a bad dream, a distant memory that is soon forgotten. Life just falls right back in place.

Getting in Touch with my Inner Artist...

....well, I am attempting to do that. I don't even know if my inner artist is inside me. I always thought, "surely, I have got it in me...have you met my mother? That artistic gene has to be in there somewhere." One of my goals while Thomas is gone is to work on this. I have a book, "You can draw in 30 days." I started the book a while back and got through 7 lessons, but it's been so long since I last worked on this that I decided to restart the book. My first lesson was on spheres. I learned about cast shadows, as well as blended and scribbling shading. I started with a simple circle which didn't look exactly like a simple, precise circle. But, I guess that's okay. You have to start somewhere. The challenge lesson was to draw an apple. Seems simple enough. Right? Yeah. I have 4 stages of apples on this page. I will say they did seem to get progressively better, so maybe there is hope!!! Although, apple number 3 looks more like a pumpkin than an apple in my opinion. Oh well, I guess you have to start somewhere or in my case restart somewhere. Now, I will leave you with these words... Don't laugh at my drawings. You may slightly giggle, but that is it! :)

2013: Reflections, Resolutions, and Fresh Starts

Another year has come and gone. It amazes how fast time is flying right before my very eyes. 2012 went by in a flash. It has some good and bad moments. Let's recap, shall we? My year began in Paris, France...right in front of the twinkling Eiffel Tower. How many people get to say that they have had this experience? I started volunteering at Vicenza Midde School. Those middle schoolers have challenged me, encouraged me, and lifted my spirits. Thomas did the usual trainings in Germany. I continued being the Cubbie Director in Awanas. I love my Cubbies. They brighten my day when I need it the most. My parents were able to come visit and experience Europe for the first time. The early beginnings of summer were spent making trips to Croatia and Cinque Terre with friends. We relaxed and awaited the dreaded deployment that was looming over our heads. Eventually, July 12 came and off he went. I went through my moppy stage filled with junk food and sad movies. Then I got back to real life. I spent lots of time with friends and then headed off to the US for my first trip back home in over a year. Fall began and so did school. I spent most of my days at the middle school and the rest of my free time was spent with friends who are more like family now. I joined a bible study through PWOC. I was excited to work on this part of my life. I also got to experience the real Oktoberfest in Germany. It was one of those "once in a lifetime" experiences that I will never forget. I had already been trying to do the whole "eating right" and exercising, but in October I really seemed to buckle down a little harder. The scale has reflected my efforts. I still don't feel like Im 100% where I'd like to be. But, I got through Thanksgiving and Christmas and managed to keep my weight down. Im back at the weight I was around the time we got married...maybe even a little lower than that. I still have health and fitness goals I want to achieve. But, it makes me happy to know that I have been able to get started on the right track. I was fortunate enough to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with my family in North Carolina. It was wonderful to be with family, but after 6 weeks it was time to get back to normal life in Italy. I missed my little home, the country, and the people. Now, I am just waiting for everyone else to start planning their trips to see me. WINK WINK. I look forward to the rest of my friends coming back here. Thank goodness for Jackie. She is my right-hand lady! We rang in the New Year together. It was a much more low key New Year's Eve this year, but still just as good. We had friendship, wine, and food. Plus 3 little ones who kept us occupied. The evening ended with seeing some fireworks right outside her house.

Now, onto 2013!!

New Year's Resolutions:

1.) Continue on my quest to have a stronger relationship with Jesus Christ. I will begin PWOC again on the 15th! It's time to push myself a little further with this aspect of my life. I want to continue to put more time and effort into this time.

2.) Health and Fitness. I want to challenge myself to eat foods that are better for me and less processed. Yes, I am human and will still have the occasional junk food. But, I can tell already I can't eat the same foods I used to. I found that out while I was at home. ;) I want to experiment with new recipes. I also want to push through some new fitness goals. I'm still working on what exact steps I should take, so any feedback is always welcomed. :)

3. ) My Home. There are many things I want to have accomplished in my home before Thomas comes home. So many pictures to hang, bedding to find, things to organize and decorate, etc. etc. etc.

4.) Travels. This is probably a no-brainer. I want to travel to new places and experience new things.

5.) Gardening. I'd really like to get this skill down, but I am very doubtful of it happening.

6.) Photography. I want to improve on my photography skills and take more time to do it.

7.) Creative Juices. I want to get them flowing.

8.) Classes. I want to take more cooking classes and take a language course.

9.) People. Take more time for the people in my life. Whether that is sending a card in the mail or giving a quick phone call or taking new people under my wing to help them. It also means having LOTS more "girls nights" and when Thomas gets backs, more "fun/different dates."

10.) Writing/Reading. I need to journal and blog more. I also need to set more "me time" to relax with a good book.

There are probably more resolutions that I am forgetting to include. But, these are just off the top of my head. I love my life and the people who surround me, near and far. I've learned through my own experiences with others and from the experiences my friends have had to go through. People never cease to amaze me..in both good and bad ways. I'd like to think I have grown...not physically, obviously. ;) I wish everyone a very blessed 2013. I look forward to seeing what it brings.


PS: #1 THING...My husband comes home this year. :) [Insert really excited scream here] 

And with that she said, "I am a genius."

Yes, I did in fact just refer to myself in the 3rd person because I am feeling THAT awesome right now. So about 3 days ago I began to feel a tickle in my throat. In all honesty, I had read part of a book to a student for most of one of the periods at school that day and I had rocked out pretty hard to Taylor Swift in my car that afternoon. I thought maybe I had strained my voice. Then the next morning I woke up with a little worse of a sore throat accompanied by a tad bit of mucous. Yuck! I knew what was happening...this was the workings of a cold or really terrible allergies. I never am quite sure. So, I immediately went to my medicine stash to see what I had. The first day I took loads of Vitamin C, allergy medicine, and sinus medicine. I was trying to cover all of my bases. I even resorted to drinking a hot toddy!! Normally, when a bug like this comes along I just accept and enjoy the fact that I can be lazy, relax, and curl up in a blanket watching movies and sipping on hot tea and soup. But, no go this time!! I'm leaving in less than a week. There was too much to do. I could not let this cold defeat me. So, I went to my personal nurse and asked for advice. By personal nurse I mean my good friend Anna. ;) I had pretty much been doing what I needed to be doing for a cold. But, she told me to take Zinc, so I got a bottle of that too. I also immediately started "googling" home remedies. Pinterest was another source for me, as well. I found this one remedy for a sore throat. You mix 1/4 cup of honey and 1/4 cup of vinegar together and take a tablespoon 6 times a day. I did this yesterday and let me tell you my sore throat is still gone today! Coincidence or did it actually work? I don't know, but I will choose to think it was this home remedy. Now, at this point I was also starting to get the foggy feeling in my head. It's that feeling like your ears are clogged and you can't really breathe. I resorted at this point to drinking hot water mixed with cayenne pepper. I continued taking tons of Vitamin C, Zinc, cold medicine, and sinus medicine. I did not want this thing defeating me or worse, turn into a sinus infection (which usually happens). Now, we are at Day 3 (today). The day where I become a genius and refer to myself in the 3rd person. Again, I woke up with some congestion, mucous, etc. Knock on wood...still no cough though. I went to Pinterest this morning looking for more remedies. I have made my own humidifier by having warm water simmer on the stove with vanilla and cinnamon (a pinterest idea). A lot of other ideas tell me I need essential oils. I also need to soak in a bath in these essential oils so I can inhale the warm vapors. I have no bathtub. So, I don't have any essential oils or bubble baths with essential oils in my home. What's the point if I have no tub? But, I noticed I did have an unopened bottle of hand soap that contained...essential oils, as well as Jasmine and Vanilla. Hmmm, the wheels starting turning. I would turn my shower and bathroom into a sauna. I would also attempt to make my shower serve as a tub. I squirted globs of the essential oil hand soap into the bottom  of the shower and cranked the heat all the way up. Then I stood in the shower, letting the hot water run over me as I inhaled the warm Jasmine and Vanilla essential oil vapors. I took a seat in my shower and let the water run over me while I laid a hot washcloth over my face and I continued to breathe in all the warm goodness. My head began to clear up and so did my nose!! When I got out of the shower I blew my nose and my ear popped and part of my head opened up!! I am still a little stuffy feeling, but all in all a lot more clear!! It was at this point that I said to myself (but out loud for no one to hear)..."I AM A GENIUS." So, I have decided I will do this 3 times a day till I leave for the states. I cannot let this cold get the best of me. I have too much to do and lots of traveling ahead. I'll let you know how it works out for me. Hopefully, I'll still think I am genius by Thursday.

17 Weeks

As I near the 17 week mark of deployment, I find myself curious about when exactly time will slow down this time. Last deployment it was when we had about 3 more months left of a 12 month deployment. Time was suddenly at a complete standstill. I discovered during the first deployment that the first part and last part of the deployment were the worst parts. The first part your trying to figure out who you are without them. You are trying to figure out what you will do with all that time alone. You figure out quickly that something has to be done or you will end up eating a bag of Cheetos and drinking wine on the couch every night. Not exactly the best habit to have. I have found that it is okay to have a day or two after they leave to wallow. You sit and watch annoyingly unhappy, sappy movies...whether it be a romantic drama or depressing tear-jerker. And that's OK! But, then after that you have to pick yourself back up, set goals, and move on with life. Now, the last part of deployment is a bit like the days leading up to Christmas. You are nervous and excited about what Santa will bring to you this year. You can't wait for Christmas morning so you can dig into the presents. So, that's the last couple months of the deployment. Then the night/day before they come home is so much like Christmas Eve. Your sitting in your bed at 300 in the morning trying not to open your eyes for fear that Santa may in fact see you and then you will not receive your present. That's also what I like to call the waiting part. Waiting for a phone call as to what time they are coming home the next day or that night. You sit and wait, you can't sleep...you are just too excited. After that its Christmas morning, the day you get your present (or in this case your husband). You arrive at the designated location to greet them. Then you see them. The plane pulls up and they all start marching towards you. Then they STAND there and you have to listen to a speech, all the while you are going insane inside. Oh and if you have already made eye contact with your solider, then forget it. It's the best torture ever. This is just like Christmas morning because it feels like the anticipation of sitting on the top of the stairs waiting for permission to come down to see your loot. Anyways, those are the best moments. Homecoming is unlike anything you have ever experienced, which is probably why the last few months drive you nuts. So, again, I say..when will time begin to slow down. This deployment is shorter than his first one, so I anticipate that it could happen at any moment. It's like the worst and best thing at the same time. Time may be at a standstill, but at the moment it happens it's good because you know that your soldier coming home is right around the corner. Just breathe and know that he will be in your arms once again and life will be good. Tick tock, tick tock..when will the clock stop for you?

Oktoberfest

As your probably well aware, I am not a beer drinker. I do enjoy a nice glass of vino out on the veranda or a   bright, fruity cocktail by the ocean. But, beer? No way. Every single sip of beer that has ever been swallowed by me has always been followed by a very strong gag. So, naturally I did not think I would be able to get the full Oktoberfest experience. I mean when I went to the Guiness Factory in Dublin, I surely did not get the full experience. Yes, I learned how to pour the perfect pint of beer, but when it came to actually drinking that so called "perfect pint" I failed miserably. But, Oktoberfest is a once and a lifetime experience...especially when you actually get to go to Munich, Germany to celebrate it. I decided to have an open mind. I just new that the land of beer would have a type of beer that I could at least tolerate. Now, that you have a little background let me tell you about my first experience in Germany and at Oktoberfest!!

I went with a group of very good friends. Katie, Anna, and Kaitlin are all have husbands in Chosen Company. They are all also from the good ole state of North Carolina. Because we had waaaaay too much stuff we had to take two cars. Woops! So, on Wednesday we were off to Germany. It took about 4 hours to get there. At first we were pretty frustrated because the place we had booked had falsely advertised a few things that they did not actually have. But, the actual little house we stayed in was nice and had a beautiful view of the mountains. Oh! I forgot to mention that. We stayed in Garmisch, which is a magical looking place. There is nothing like the appearances of the houses in Germany. We grabbed a late night meal which included Weiner Snitchel, fries, and apple strudel. German food is comfort food. If we were stationed in Germany I would probably be as big as a house. This night was the night I was introduced to the Radler. This is a beer that is mixed with some sort of lemon drink. It should also win some sort of medal because it is the ONLY beer I have EVER drank more than a sip. Thomas would have been proud. Hahahaha!!! The restaurant was filled with German music. It was such a fantastic atmosphere! I had decided that Germany was the most magical place on Earth. :)

The next day was the big day! It was off to the festival of beer. Oktoberfest was so close, but we had one more thing to do before hopping the train to Munich. We had to buy dirndls! For those of you who don't know, a dirndl is the traditional German dress you see the German ladies wearing. We literally tried on these dresses and then wore them out of the store. The lady that worked there made sure that our bows were tied in the right direction. If you wear your bow the wrong way then you are screaming out that you are single! So, we had to switch our bows so we would be labeled as married. Of course, we soon realized once arriving into one of the beer tents that the men do not look at the bows. There was so much hootin and hollering. We must've been looking real cute in our dirndls. Ha! Another thing I noticed was the German men are extremely tall. A random German patted me on the head as he walked by. My friend Katie had brought her one year old, Carson, to Oktoberfest with us. He's only one and he has already been to Oktoberfest more times than me. He went last year too at the ripe age of 2 months. :) Everyone wanted to carry Carson. Italians, Germans, etc. etc. He was quite the celebrity, but then again, he always is. The beer tents were filled with beer (obviously), half chickens, and giant pretzels. Like I said before, Germany is land of the comfort food. The music played loud, people danced on tables, beer mugs were clanged together, and everyone was dressed in their best lederhosens and dirndls. The atmosphere was so much fun. Katie dragged me onto some fair ride. I squeezed her hand and screamed the entire time. But, it was soooo much fun. We ended up not getting into another beer tent and then got rained on, but we found another good place to eat where we made more friends and my friend Anna stood on a chair and drank her beer like a true German lady. ;) We missed our trainstop on the way back to Garmich because the door on the train wouldn't open!!! We ended up have to take a cab from the next stop. We looked like homeless people waiting for the cab. We were wet and wrapped up in scarves..seriously we looked homeless. Oktoberfest was definitely interesting...we met some nice people and some weird people, but all in all, we had a blast!!! It's an experience I will remember forever.

The next day we had a spa day at the Eidelweiss hotel. It's for the military. We all got the massage and facial package. It was a full day of pampering for us! It was nice and relaxing. We ended our long day of relaxation with dinner at this amazing restaurant. Snitchel and spazle were on the menu. It was amazing!!! Spazle are these little noodle things...I dont know they are so good, especially with cheese. When they have cheese they are like the BEST mac & cheese you have ever had. Kraft's got nothing on the Germans!!

On our last day we took a hike around Lake Eibsee. Most beautiful lake EVER!!! The mountains that surrounded it were rocky and the water was this amazing shade of teal and dark blue. After this, we had one last meal in Germany. Mmm, mine was goulash and more spatzle!!!  Super delicious!!!

We loaded into the car and made our way back home...to Italy. It was an amazing experience and a fun journey to have with such great friends. I am truly blessed. Guten Tag!!!!!

Ramblings about a Revamp

When you read this post you may notice that it has a slightly different look to it. No, your eyes are not deceiving you. I decided it was time for a revamp. I think it's time to revamp a lot of things. I haven't been too happy with myself lately. I am not doing a good job of "giving birth to a new me" as someone once said before deployment. I wanted this period of time in my life to be for me. There are so many habits I want to create, places I want to see, items I want to organize, clothes I want to clean out and get rid of, hobbies I want to take an active interest in, skills I want to improve...the list goes on. Sure, I've gotten started on some of this (some being the key word). I am taking and planning trips with my dearest girlfriends. I am currently taking a photography class. This will be my 3rd blog post TODAY! So, this is my official attempt at blogging more. I joined one of the Protestant Women of the Chapel (PWOC) bible studies. I look forward to growing in my relationship with God and finding fellowship with those who believe as I do. I think it will provide me with yet another support system. I've been trying to draw more. I am not as consistent with it as I'd like to be. I tried drawing with oil pastels recently. It's okay I guess. I want to take some art classes. I've been keeping a type of drawing journal. I have a page per week where I write a short blurb about my day with little pictures and designs added to it. It was a Pinterest idea I saw. Speaking of this particular project...I think I need to play catch up on it. I've been trying to go to the gym, but I am still not satisfied at where I am at in that department. Basically, I've got some things that I have started on. But, I guess I feel like that's just it...a start. There are so many other projects and ideas I have floating through my head that I think could have been completed already if I would relearn time management. I use the term "relearn" because I once knew how to manage my time. But, ever since being done with school it's like I can't get myself on a set schedule. It makes me really angry with myself. I want to start fresh tomorrow. I want to revamp my life. I need to go to bed at night feeling accomplished. I don't usually feel overly accomplished. Oh sure, I've had a fabulous and fun day, but not so much of a productive one. Like I said before...I need to relearn time management skills. I know it is possible to work hard and be productive, but still have time to play while being leisurely. I think I also overwhelm myself with these huge to do lists I set out for myself. I think I need to be more realistic. I am not super woman. I need to make short daily to do lists. I think I look so much at the big picture of what I want and it frightens me a bit. It's as if I have already psyched myself out that I can't and won't do all the things I want to do and accomplish. Maybe, just maybe, I should stop listening to myself and just do. That's it, more "do" less "think." Hmm, maybe? We shall see. With this new week, I hope new beginnings will happen. I pray the Lord will grant me "wisdom" in this department. James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 

Festa della Zucca

Ah, Festival of the Pumpkin. I can't think of a better way to spend the start of the fall season. Festa della Zucca was a small festival. It went along one street in the town of Montegaldella. But, the food was AMAZING. It was heaven in my mouth. Jackie and I order a few things and shared them. We treated our mouths to the delectable flavors of Pumpkin Tortellini, Pumpkin Risotto, Pumpkin Gnocchi, and Mashed Pumpkin. We finished our meal with a pumpkin dessert. It was all so warm and comforting. As I said before, it was perfect for the fall season. Pictures are in the links below. :)

http://instagram.com/p/P2hx6sQTn-/?ref=nf

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Bonjour from Nice

We are fortunate enough to have an organization on post known as Outdoor Recreation that organizes lots of day trips to various places around Europe. When Jackie and I saw they were arranging a trip to Nice, France we knew it would be for us. The bus departed from post around 3:00 in the morning. It was obviously extremely dark and getting out that early was tough. I think we were beginning to question whether or not a trip is worth it if you have to get up at such an awful hour of the morning. Plus, the 24-hour shoppette had recently changed it's hours so it was no longer open for 24 hours. We, however, had not realized it until we got there. So, there we were with no coffee or snacks. If you know me, then you know I have to have snacks for a long trip...especially a 7 hour bus ride. We did find a vending machine that worked so we were at least able to get a snack and drink. But, we were still without coffee, so we mumbled and grumbled...of course. Once on the bus, I settled in with a Vera Bradley bag as a pillow and took some Benedryl to make me sleepy. Is that bad? Oh well, you know you do it too. ;) I slept off and on. It was sort of a light sleep. 

Before I knew it the sun was coming up and we were arriving in Nice. We were greeted with mountains and crystal blue waters from afar. Our first stop was a perfume factory. We got a tour of the factory and then were able to purchase products. Of course, it was all very pricey. So, Jackie and I settled for one product that was reasonable priced. It was this special oil that smelled amazing. It's a great thing to lather on after a shower to hydrate your skin. They said it was good for dry elbows. I was sold when they said that! 

After that we ventured to the market in Nice. It was amazing!! There were so many fresh fruits and vegetables along with beautiful flowers. I wish we would have brought a cooler to feel up with all the deliciousness. If we had been closer I would have purchased some fresh flowers to take home and put in a vase, but I figured they wouldn't last the day or the 7 hour bus ride. We did buy a baguette and had already made it our mission to find some good brie to go with our bread. OHH and we had the most AMAZING croissant ever. It was buttery, flaky,  and delicious. We also looked around the cutest little candy shop. The gave free samples, which is always a plus!!

During lunch we got some free entertainment. This group of guys were like acrobats! They flipped and did so many tricks. While some flipped and flopped other played music. It was quite a show. We ventured down the road towards the beach. It was beautiful. The streets were lined with palm trees and the sea sparkled in the sunlight.  The water danced with sunshine and different shades of blue. We of course took tons of pictures in front of the glistening water. We were happy as clams. I just wish we could have spent more time there. After spending some time by the water, we stopped at a little bar for mojitos and creme brule.

It was now time for our cruise around the French Riveria. Basking in the sunlight while riding around on a boat is the life. I can see why the rich and famous like it so much. The weather was perfect, the sun was shining, and we had the wind in our hair. We were able to see Monaco and Monte Carlo from the boat.

Before departing from Nice, we stopped by another candy shop and browsed around. We never did find any Brie for our baguette.  We were quite disappointed. But, other than not finding Brie, our trip to Nice was awesome. I want to go back again someday. 

It was a long, but relaxing day. We got back home around 2:00 on Sunday morning. We had a full day with lots of tasty treats, beautiful scenery, and pleasant company. I look forward to many more trips to come. :)

Strange, isn't it?

I have only been home for less than 12 hours and I have already noticed some differences. It was dark, but I could still see that Fayetteville has grown and changed. It'll probably be even crazier looking in the day time. Even being in my house is so different. Sitting on the toilet seat was strange. I am used to a thin, wide seat where I feel like I might fall in. I sort of felt like a big cow on our tiny, thick toilet seat. When I reached for a spoon this morning I was shocked to discover that it isn't in the same place that my spoons are in my drawer at my home in Italy. My childhood room is even different looking. It's definitely quite cute and girly, but still different than before. The faucets have been changed and the kitchen chairs seat cushions have been redone. Oh and did I mention, as we speak, I am watching a TV with actual channels? I dont have my computer hooked up to the TV so I can watch something. Very odd feeling. It was also strange waking up in a different bed. What was extrememly strange was last night right before I went to sleep. It was midnight and I thought to myself, wow..in Italy the sun is already up. It's a feeling that you can't really understand until you've been in this situation. I also feel worried about my little home, which I find odd because we've been gone for weeks at a time when on vacation and I never thought twice about it. I guess it's just knowing that your so far away from it. It just facinates me that a country that used to be considered foreign no longer feels foreign at all and the country that was never foreign suddenly feels slightly foreign. There are differences that I have already noticed and it feels strange, but it's good to be home with my family and I can't wait to see my friends. Well, thats all the inital changes that I saw. I will be sure to keep everyone updated on my adventures in America! Bye Y'all!!! ;)

Deployment Bucket List

Let's face it, deployments are not fun. They make you stress, worry, and miss the other person like crazy. Your suddenly doing half the amount of laundry (hm, well, maybe this is one of hte high points) and cooking you once did. You find yourself staying up waaaay too late watching TV shows and movies. Your constantly bringing your phone everywhere with you. Gotta go to the bathroom? The phone goes with you. Everytime the phone rings you automatically think its them. Well, news flash, it's usually only them in 1 out of 10 phonecalls. When you log onto your skype you triple check to see if they are on. Well, that's if they were blessed with internet. Thomas was not blessed with internet on his last deployment. This deployment I'd say he is very blessed...he has his own room with a roof and they do have some internet access they can use at the MWR if they aren't busy. Okay, so I went off on the dirt road for a minute there..lets get back to my original point. Deployments are not fun! There are a slew of other reasons why they are no bene, but today we are not going to focus on that. We will focus on why deployments can be a good thing if you let it. Remember, in every aspect of life, its what YOU make of it.

So, here I am, making my Deployment Bucket List. These are all the things I would like to get accomplished OR be seriously working towards getting accomplished by the time Thomas comes home. Last deployment I didn't make such a list. My goals were simple..survive the first year of Graduate School. That was all I cared about. I didn't have time to develop hobbies or do things for me. This deployment it's about being there for my husband and creating a mentally, spriritually, and physically better person in myself. I want to be the best Rachel I can be. Yes, I know you think I'm perfect just the way I am, but there's always room for improvement. ;) Okay, here is my deployment bucket list thus far...

1. Grow in my relationship with Christ. While Thomas is gone I want to start going to weekly bible studies. There is an organization called PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel). I've never been able to go because it's on Tuesday mornings and I am usually at the school volunteering. But, I decided that I need to go regardless. I am not getting paid for what I do. I don't need to feel obligated. If I took one morning off to work on what's important then that would be okay. What's funny is I know the people I work with would not care and would completely understand. But, you know how it is. You make a commitment and you want to stick with it. But, I need to make my commitment to Christ a little bigger. I am also going to be the Awana Cubbies Director again. There's nothing like seeing Christ through a child's eyes. Another aspect of this I need to work on is reading and studying the Bible on my own. Doing that seems a bit overwhelming because it's such a big book and it's sometimes hard to understand (thank goodness I have a study Bible now). Any tips on studying, reading, and marking the text of the Bible would be much appreciated. :)

2. Exercise more and keep it consistent. I'm sure this is on every girl's deployment bucket list. Seriously, I have to do something. I even thought about getting a personal trainer at our gym on base, so I am more accountable. At least until I get back into the habit again. And hey, if I am paying for it, I'm most likely to go. Plus they could probably give me some valuable information. Crossfit is also going back on the schedule again. I would love for Thomas to come and be like wow..is that my wife? Haha!!! :)

3. Keep my diet healthy. What I find fascinating is that any time I eat a bunch of junk food I feel gross afterwards, but yet some how there are days when salt and vinegar potato chips are just what I need. Realistically, I know that every once and while I have to have a little junk (blame it on PMS). But, for the most part I know I can do the whole healthy eating thing. I just need to remember what the bad foods do to me and limit it. Everything in moderation.

4. Get my creative juices flowing. Have you met my mother? She is the most creative, artistic person I know. So, it's gotta be in my genes somewhere right? Here are some of the things I'd like to do to get creative. I want to learn to draw. I've got some books already and have slowly started trying, but I haven't been consistent with it (are you now noticing a pattern? consistency is obviously not my strong suit). I also plan on going out and buying some blank canvases and some paint and just, well, paint. I read somewhere not to think too much about just grab a brush and start painting. I will try to research it more, but I would love to take some sort of painting or drawing class. Another way I want to get creative is to start doing more DIY projects. I think it would be awesome to have different things in my house that I could say, "yeah, I made that." I'm also planning on taking some classes at the Arts and Crafts Center. Some of the classes I think I'll take are wheel spinning (I think this is what it was called, it's where you make pottery out of clay and spin it) and mosaics as well as whatever else they've got. I would love to have a hobby like this.

5. Improve my photography. I absolutely love taking pictures and I've been told that I'm good at it. I've even got a lot of my pictures framed and hanging on the walls of our house. I am planning on taking a photography class in September to improve on my photography skills.

6. Develop a Green Thumb. I have tried the whole gardening thing and I have had ups and downs with it. For example, my pansies did quite well this winter, but now that summer has come they are dead and crunchy. I have had the WORST luck with citrus trees. I think its actually a bug problem though instead of a "me" problem. The reason I say this is because of our rose bushes. They were doing so good!! They were blossoming and thriving. All of a sudden they went downhill fast! I discovered bite marks in the leaves and I remember the citrus tree leaves getting those bite marks. Stupid bugs. But, we saved on of the rose buses after buying some insect spray. But, back to the orginial point. I want to get better at gardening and have beautiful flowers and other plants.

7. Blog More. Oh, how appropriate since I am writing a blog right now!! I really do love to blog. I love that I can share my thoughts and experiences to my friends and family back home while I'm away. I've gotten a little slack on it lately. I haven't been taking the time to sit and write well-written thoughts. You can probably notice the difference between ones I wrote way after the experience happened and the ones that I write pretty immediately after it happened. You are going to find much more humor, insite, and details in the ones that I sit, concentrate, and do immediately when I think of it. Hm, kind of like this blog, I suspect.

8. Cooking. I have become quite the happy little cooker since living in Italy. I have taken a cooking class and I usually cook all the meals at home now. I am constantly researching new recipes on Pinterest. I want to develop my skills more and experiment with cooking new things. I am already signed up for the second cooking class at Aeolia's in October.

9. Journal More. Yes, this may seem very 7th grade to you, but there's just something about putting your thoughts down on paper that really seems to help. Plus, it's so fun to look back at the things you wrote years ago. It can kind of show how you've changed and how you haven't changed. Anyway, I need to get back into the habit of sitting down and reflecting on my day while putting it into writing.

10. Travel. Even though Thomas is away, it doesn't mean I should sit in the house all the time. I'm going to get out and see the world with my friends. You don't get a chance like this very often. It's a treat to live in Europe, you might as well dig in and savor every single bite.

11. Organization, Organization, Organization. I have got to get things organized in my house. Everything needs a place, but not everything does right now. I need to find special homes for all my belongings, so both Thomas and I know where to find them.

12. Learn Italian. Now, I've obviously picked up some Italian by just living in Italy for over a year. But, I want to take an actual Italian class so I can improve and add more vocabulary to my Italian repertoire.

For now, I think that's all I have on my deployment bucket list. I of course reserve the right to add to or change anything on my list. :) Well, I've made my list so now it's time to make yours.

Food and Organization 101

So, my family seems to be amazed these days at all the things I've been cooking. Sometimes they are good amazed and sometimes bad amazed (example...avocado chicken salad, ha!). Thus, the reason for this post..well, that and to show off my first organization win! To begin I will show you what I did to our little military issued wall locker to get it looking and being more organized!

          I forgot to take a before picture...but this is the final, whole thing.

                                                 Close up!

   I put labels on all the bins so I would know what was in each bin, so no more digging through all the bins to find what I need. 

Okay, now on to the food portion of this. I'll probably try to take more pictures of foods I make and share it with all of y'all. First of all, Thomas and I have been trying to eat based on the Paleo Diet. Some call it the Caveman diet. It's sort of based on what the early humans ate. You basically eat meats, poultry, nuts, fruits, healthy oils, and vegetables. Your not really supposed to eat flour, grains, or dairy. We aren't hard core or anything...we have our cheat days (uh hello we live in Italy), but it's just about trying to eat more fresh, healthy options so we can be, well..more healthy. Here are some of the things we have made...

 This is something we have made for forever!! Way before Paleo..oven baked veggies. You  just pick whatever veggies you want, drizzle them in extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle seasoning of your choice (no salt though if your trying to be healthy). They are delicious!!

                                            We've just got good ole grilled chicken here!

 Okay, now this is the point where I say to my family..if you think this looks disgusting then you are CRAZY!!! Seriously, this sauce is delicious! Thomas said it was like one of the best sauces he's ever had. Its   a sun-dried tomato sauce to pour over chicken, but you could pretty much pour it over any meat I think.

                                                       It's completely Paleo Friendly!

                                                                       It is super yummy!!

                                                                  Finished Product!!


Here's the recipe for it: http://paleodietlifestyle.com/chicken-sun-dried-tomato-sauce/ Now I did a couple of things different..I didnt have any steak seasoning, so I didnt use it. I also used rosemary instead of time because we grow rosemary and not thyme.

Now, this next thing was supposed to be Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies, but I decided to make a pie thing instead. Now, this is only semi-Paleo..it called for sugar which is definitely not Paleo, but I used Splenda so it would at least be lower in calories. Hm, I might could have use honey instead..now thats Paleo..hahaha!!! Oh and I used olive oil instead of coconut oil because I couldnt find it. Here are the pictures of it and the recipe: http://chocolateandcarrots.com/2011/06/coconut-flour-chocolate-chip-cookies

I am nowhere neeeear where I want to be organizational and health/fitness wise, but I am getting started. Now, that Thomas is deployed, I want to use that time to get myself in gear. Feel free to hold me accountable and/or motivate me when you think I need it. :) My next post will be my Deployment Bucket List. I have all these goals I want to achieve and work on while Thomas is gone. So, stay tuned!

Cinque Terre

We decided to spend Thomas' 3-day weekend in an area of Italy known as Cinque Terre. The literal translation for this into English is "5 Lands." Cinque Terre is known for it's hiking trails that span between the 5 towns of the area. The 5 little villages include: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. Recently, in October 2011, the area endured some severe mudslides. The beautiful area was now looking destroyed. But, now, you wouldn't know it. Yes, there is still some construction and rebuilding going on, but all-in-all, the towns are better than ever. I have to semi-quote Rick Steves..he talks in a recent article about how you can tell that the rebuilding of this area was so important to the community because Italian workers were working around the clock. He mentions that you can only understand this and find it funny if you've ever live in Italy. It is the truth. The Italian workers typically take their sweet time and enjoy a nice reposso. So, it's a big deal that so many are working all hours to get this place back up and running. We drove up to Cinque Terre on Thursday afternoon. We arrived in Vernazza (the town we were staying in) around 830 in the evening. I usually debate going anywhere later in the day after Thomas gets off work, but it was worth it because we had all day Friday and Saturday to see everything. We had to park in one area in the middle of nowhere and walk down a path that leads into the only road in Vernazza. It was quite a small village with beautiful water. After getting settled into our rustic little Italian apartment, we ate a restaurant that overlooked the sea. We enjoyed delicious Trofie pesto, wine, and bread. We settled into our rooms for a good sleep once we were done with supper. I was awaken by tons and tons of church bells at around 700 am. Their bells were bizarre..they rang a lot more than they do here. They even had a special ding for when the clock hit the "30" mark. 

The first day was spent hiking the trails between the 5 villages. The first trail took us from Vernazza to Corniglia. Now, there are two trails you have the option of doing...one is the easier trail and one is the more difficult trail. Well, wouldn't you know it was just our luck that the easy trail was closed for some construction due to the mudslides. So, Thomas and I, as well as another military couple from Vicenza that we traveled with, took the hike up the difficult trail. When I say we hiked "up" I am not exaggerating. It was all uphill. However, as the saying goes, "what goes up must come down." We finally made it to the top and found rich green vineyards and a great view of the sea. We arrived in Corniglia and our first stop was eating some lunch. I had some pasta with pesto and tomatoes, while Thomas opted for just the pesto pasta. Our friends got this pesto gnocchi which tasted amazing. We walked down to a rocky area where the wind was beginning to pick up so the waves of the water were crashing down over the rocks. You had to be careful or you would get soaking wet.  After Corniglia, we headed to the village of Manarola. The trail between these two towns were closed so we had no choice but to take the train. I will have to say...us girls were not too disappointed by this. It was nice to take a short ride instead of a very long walk. After arriving in Manarola, our first stop was for some gelato. We quickly began the walk from Manarola to Riomaggiore. The trail is called "Via Dell'Amore." Translation? The Love Walk. There were gates with various items tied around them..locks, paper, string, etc. etc. Its supposed to represent couple sort of locking their love there forever. Thomas didn't want to do it..he said it would jinx us. He sort of compared it to tattooing someone's name on your body. Oh Lord, silly boy. After we got to Riomaggiore, the boys took a quick dip in the water for a swim and snorkeling expedition. Once done at Riomaggiore, we hopped on the train and headed back to Vernazza for the night. We had visited 4 out of the 5 towns that day. That night we ordered in pizza and drank wine while playing Catch Phrase with the two couples we traveled with. It was so much fun! Sometimes, I think an evening in with friends can be just as fun as going out. 

                                              Before Starting the Hike!

                                            Beautiful Vernazza

                                                  Going uphill!

                                            Beautiful Views from the Top

                                            Made it to the top

                                         Another View from the top

                                          Corniglia

                                          Windy day causing big waves

                                           Starting the love walk

                                         Lock away your love

                                          Riomaggiore

                                         Catch Phrase with Friends








The next day, we took the train to Monterosso for a beach day! There would be absolutely NO HIKING involved. Nothing but sun, clear blue waters, and sandy beaches. Wait! Hold the phone! Did Rachel just say "sandy beaches?" YES! SURE DID! Not only did we find amazing clear blue water, but the beaches were actual sand beaches and not the stone, rocky ones we have become accustomed to. It was a perfect, relaxing day. The boys were able to do some more snorkeling while us girls sat in the sun with a beach bar near by that served us delicious, fruity cocktails. That night we had a lovely dinner out. We spent the evening taking a little walk around the seaside of Vernazza and then went to bed early. It was a perfect trip! The next morning we had our cappuccinos and croissants, bought some amazing paintings, and heading back to Vicenza. 

                                           Beautiful beaches of Monterossa

                                           Loving this water! Gorgeous, right?

                                            Yum! Cocktails made from fresh fruit!

                                           Ready for some snorkeling

                                        Snapshot of our last night

                                         Bonjourno! Time for a Cappuccino before we go home!

                                            It really makes for a happy morning!


Cinque Terre is one of those little "heaven on earth" places. With it's bright colored houses, mountains, and clear blue waters you will not regret a trip there. I cannot wait to go back there. Once again, I find myself amazed by this country. It is truly remarkable. 

Until next time, Ciao Ciao!