Hi guys!! How is every one? We've had a great holiday season this year. Christmas was great! We had a mad shopping experience in local markets and shopping centers here until finally all the family's christmas shopping was done. Since we were unable to be in a house before the holidays, the outgoing general of the army here found us room in the distinguished visitors quarters for Christmas! Instead of being crammed into the two bedroom Navy inn, three days before Christmas we moved into another two bedroom dig, but one much much nicer! The living room of our new place was bigger then the entire area of the old one! We felt really lucky! It was practically the General's last command before leaving to his new station. He had just heard in passing that we had 5 children and were still stuck in the TLA for Christmas and commented that he just couldn't let that happen. We all helped set up our tree and hang ordaments on the day before Christmas eve.
We all had a great time. We didn't have any Christmas music to listen to, so we serenaded ourselves with all the carols we knew, and just about 10th time of singing "Here comes Santa Clause" we heard a rapp at the door. Lo and behold it really was Santa Clause! He was immediately invited in and we all had a turn on Santa's lap.
Then Dad took him back to the train station where he told us he was riding the Polar Express home. By the time it was Christmas eve, almost all the presents were wrapped, but Paul found the joy of unwrapping gifts before he was supposed to. Luckily he only got into a few presents and no surprises were spoiled. One Christmas eve Jessica, Peter and Nicole took forever to get to sleep. They were to entertained by the fantastic show of fire works that the Italians were giving and the bell calls to midnight mass from all the churches nearby. In the morning we all woke up to find that Santa had really come. We all got to work digging into our stockings and seeing what Santa brought us all. It was a fantastic Christmas!
This year was the coolest New Year ever! I really like the Italian's way of doing things. New Years eve here is almost as popular as christmas, if not more (maybe). We spent New Year's eve at our new friends house. We played lots of games, ate lots of yummy food, and had a great time together. By the time it was midnight every one was still awake except Paul! We went up on the roof to watch the fire works. When it turned midnight it was so amazing! Everywhere you turned you could see fire works! Even the neighbors had fire works. And these fireworks were nothing like the ones we have in the states. They are like the one's your town lights off on the fourth of July. Our pictures don't do the scene justice. It was so much cooler in real life. I'd never seen anything like it, ever! Just imagine almost every one setting off fire works like it was the fourth of July. Wow! That was the greatest New Years eve. We're so grateful to be here in italy. This new year will be a very exciting one for us, and we are so excited!
There's cutie Peter
There's cutie Nicole.
Here's cutie Rachel and below is cutie Paul.
This was pauls third christmas, and he hung his own three ordaments himself (almost). He's so cute!!
We all had a great time. We didn't have any Christmas music to listen to, so we serenaded ourselves with all the carols we knew, and just about 10th time of singing "Here comes Santa Clause" we heard a rapp at the door. Lo and behold it really was Santa Clause! He was immediately invited in and we all had a turn on Santa's lap. Then Dad took him back to the train station where he told us he was riding the Polar Express home. By the time it was Christmas eve, almost all the presents were wrapped, but Paul found the joy of unwrapping gifts before he was supposed to. Luckily he only got into a few presents and no surprises were spoiled. One Christmas eve Jessica, Peter and Nicole took forever to get to sleep. They were to entertained by the fantastic show of fire works that the Italians were giving and the bell calls to midnight mass from all the churches nearby. In the morning we all woke up to find that Santa had really come. We all got to work digging into our stockings and seeing what Santa brought us all. It was a fantastic Christmas!This year was the coolest New Year ever! I really like the Italian's way of doing things. New Years eve here is almost as popular as christmas, if not more (maybe). We spent New Year's eve at our new friends house. We played lots of games, ate lots of yummy food, and had a great time together. By the time it was midnight every one was still awake except Paul! We went up on the roof to watch the fire works. When it turned midnight it was so amazing! Everywhere you turned you could see fire works! Even the neighbors had fire works. And these fireworks were nothing like the ones we have in the states. They are like the one's your town lights off on the fourth of July. Our pictures don't do the scene justice. It was so much cooler in real life. I'd never seen anything like it, ever! Just imagine almost every one setting off fire works like it was the fourth of July. Wow! That was the greatest New Years eve. We're so grateful to be here in italy. This new year will be a very exciting one for us, and we are so excited!
