Random Pics

Here's some random pics I thought were cute...enjoy!

Goofy girls, this was Brielle's pic of clothes for the day and boy was she proud of it. As you can see this was the view from the first flat.

Hoss all dressed up in his work clothes...so cute! You can tell he's thrilled to be the center of my attention:)

We're here!

On the train again

She loves horses...can I just take this moment to say Bri. never even touched them;)

Feeding Coco!

Snack time!

Little sweethearts!

Taking a green taxi to the stable (our on the other side are red...so it's big deal for the girls)

The train ride there...

Hello everyone!

We're here and FINALLY starting to get settled. Life was a challenge of ups and downs for a bit there...Anyhow, when we first arrived they put us in an adorable flat on the 25th floor. We had an amazing view and the amenities there were fabulous. The kids had a kiddie pool and an indoor tunnel, slide, gym play area that was incredible! It was close to the tram stops and there was a store within walking distance so it was a nice place to get the feel of the city while they painted and fixed our new flat. We were there for three weeks and woke up every morning to watch the sun rise over the city. Then they moved us to a place that is five minutes walk from his work. This is definitely the biggest perk along with the four bedrooms and automatic AFN (The American military channels). Unfortunately we lost our view and amenities, but you can't have everything:) At any rate, this place is also close to two great parks and I've figured out the whole grocery shopping online thing so we're set.

Last week they brought our household goods and with pictures on the wall we are only missing our faithful four legged friend Max; who will come as soon as quarantine has an open spot for him. Ash is in Karate and Ballet and Bri is in Ballet so we are trying to integrate and get used to living here.

This weekend was the Autumn festival thing. The girls received lanterns from the building manager and we took them out to see the fireworks over the water an make their wishes on the full moon. Apparently, you just hold up the lantern and make your wish and supposedly it will come true. I wish I had, had my camera, but I'm not as prepared here as I was before. I definitely missed some good pics and firework moments. Ash wished for a princess barbie, another sister, a poodle and oodles of other things...Brielle wished to be a "marine on duty"that's it. The fireworks were incredible! I've never seen anything like it and promise to bring my camera for the Chinese new year fireworks. They had them exploding in every flower and shape imaginable and they went on for 25 minutes. Wow, is all I can say.

I am going to attach some pics below they are of us at some stables with a playgroup his work hosts. Well, that's it from me for now. Sorry to have not posted sooner or updated all the quirky stories we have been experiencing, but those I will try to post another day. For now I am just trying to find a place to start again...sorry, they attached above this, but you get the point...

Bulla Regia and Dougga and Kelly!

Yesterday we went on a tour of Dougga and Bulla Regia. Dougga is a very well-preserved Roman town with a lot of great history and stories to be told through out. Bulla Regia is an underground town that is only partially exavated, but very cool. The mosiacs found on the floors here were awesome. Anyhow, we all had a great time. The way up Ash mixed juice, cheetos and chocolate pastry (another of my mother of the year moments:))....it came out about an hour later in a fabulous milkshake on her and I in the backseat. And poor Max got a bit hot and decided to hang his big, fat tongue over the headrest and onto Ash and I where his amazing breath and thick drool made the trip most enjoyable. Lets just say...my patience was tested and the limit was reached and passed a few times:) But honestly we did have a good time. It's great to have Kels (my brother)here and we even got brave and tried Boar for lunch. I had a hard time getting past the looks of it, but he seemed to enjoy it. Oh and we loved his DJ skills...the girls were getting quite the indocrination to all music. They're favorite of the trip was Beastie Boys song "Girls"!

It is what it looks like...toilets!

These are snails!

The flowers were gorgeous!

The Trip!

Ok, so all of the pics are posted in the following blogs dated April 26 from our trip last week. We had a fantastic time and it was really nice to get away. I would have to say for the first time too that it was nice to come home as well. I actually feel like this place is home (kinda) and it was nice to know we had a place to relax even when we got back. The girls did well. Ash met new friends at Hoss's conference and Bri just wanted to go home and see her friends..but I still think she had fun. The pic above is of the girls on the final leg when we were driving to get on the ship. They were being absolute monsters and just couldn't get along so their dad turned off the DVD player and told them to go to sleep...it wasn't two minutes later they were out cold!

Also, I've included some pics of our Max. He seemed to have tons of fun while we were away. He stayed at the co-worker's house and was king of his domain. The door to outside was left open so he could come and go as he pleased and he even figured out their ice maker (ice is his favorite treat) so he was able to get that any time he wanted:) Oh, and boy did we hear about how much the girls missed him the ENTIRE trip. Everyone they met heard about their "brother"... And yes he does hang his weiner out on occasion and that is dirt on his nose (he loves to dig and we love him!)

Milan

We didn't take too many pics here. It had the feel of a big city and was entirely different than any other place we visited. The architecture was a mix of old and new. You'd see a massive old building with marble and carvings right next to a tall building with the black reflective windows for a front. The church was amazing, but we didn't have our camera and we were on standby for Da Vinci's "The Last Supper" painting but never made it in. We had lunch with the person who does Hoss's job in Milan and his wife and kid. We knew them from Japan and they took us to a great resturant. We rode the subway everywhere since there wasn't parking, Ash loved the subway; And Brielle is still asking to ride the trains!

Just walking

The behind shot.

We ate SO much McDonalds...we don't have it here.

Brielle and Sophia. The one's who do the same job in Milan.

I don't know what he was doing.

Ash took this one.

Playing in the rain.

Brielle loved the pigeons.

Playing the the square while we tried to see The Last Supper.