Our last trip in Europe!

We had one last four day weekend in June where we would be able to travel.  Of course we were going to go somewhere, so where did we go?

Cinque Terre

of Italia of course!

We love Italy and have been there several times during our couple of years in Europe. This trip we focused on visiting a couple of hill top towns and seeing the Cinque Terre.

 Our first stop was the hill top town of Voterra.

We saw a lot of Roman ruins while there, and discovered that Volterra is most famous for it's alabaster.

 Next on our list was the Hill top town San Gimignano

or Hill of the 13 towers.

 Of course we had to stop for gelato, and what more perfect spot to eat it then right in front of the Museum of torture that every medieval city has!!

 After a long day of touring hill top towns we needed some good R&R on the beach!

 The next day we spent in the Cinque Terre.

This is also known as the Italian Riviera, and so picturesque.  This area is on accessible by foot or by train.  There is a trail the connects the 5 small fishing villages that would be a dream to hike.  But with two small toddlers we knew this wouldn't be realistic...so we opted to use the train system.  We had planned to hike the trail between the first two towns, and then train to the 4th and 5th town.  Alas our plans were not to be, the first trail was closed due to a mud slide...so trains it is!

 We spent some time on the beach in the last town.  It was breathtaking... but so crowded!  It reminded me of the beach from the movie "Summer Rental" with John Candy...you practically couldn't walk to the water without stepping on someone!

 Our day ended back in town one, where we had amazingly been able to park our car!  We found some delicious brick oven Italian pizza and ate on the pier by the water.

 After dinner we walked up the hill above the pier and let the kids climb down and around all the rocks.

 And of course we found some Gelato along the way!

Oh how we will miss Italian Gelato, nothing compares to it in the U.S.

Sure they try...but honestly nothing comes close!

Farewell Italy!

We have enjoyed your shores and waters!

Hello Lost Friend...

It has been way too long, and I am sorry.  I have just been so busy.  Plus I have been without my computer since June.  It has been a whirlwind of busy-ness since the end of June.  We had the rest of our stuff packed and shipped, cleaned and moved out of our cute German house into a hotel, over saw an international move, arrived in Charlottesville to get our keys to our "new" house, left the next day for a two week "vacation" in Utah, My first Nephew on my side was born, movers showed up in 4 different shipments, lots of unpacking and cardboard, school started and I got to spend a long weekend with my brother and his sweet family in New York.  Whew!  So, now things might slow down a bit, I will have time to do a few updates.  I won't do them all, because I just don't have the patience...but I will do the most important ones! Until then, just know I haven't forgotten!!

Promotion + Birthday + Father's day= Matt week

The second week of June was quite the week for Matt.  He was promoted to Major on Monday, had a birthday on Thursday and Father's day on Sunday.  In between all that we took a trip to Italy.  I will blog about Italy later, for now we will focus on what we call "Matt week".

Getting ready for the ceremony to start.  We are very excited for Matt, and feel very proud and blessed that he has succeeded so well in his career of choice.  He really does love his job!

 Matt's boss is wonderful.  Here Col. Mendelsen is giving a short blurb about Matt.

The Matt blurb.

 Having his promotion orders read

 There were a lot of pins, patches and tags to change out.

I think he actually had 5, the perfect number for each of the kids to do one.

It was a mad jumble of kids!

Jack got to help put the new rank on Matt's berett

 being sworn in.

 He got me and the girls each a bouquet of flowers.  The girls loved that...I think they take after their mama.  The boys each got an army coin.  We have since lost one...

 So proud!

 I was insane and decided to have his promotion party right after the Ceremony.  Most people wait a few days, weeks or even months before they throw their party.  We were just getting so busy with the move coming up, I decided it was now or never.  So we went for it.  It was pretty stressful, and I don't think I will ever have a promotion party right after a ceremony again...but luckily I have some pretty awesome friends who helped me pull it off!

 I couldn't have done it without them!

 Then it was on to Matt's big birthday!

He turned 40 this year, over the hill, ha ha!

I actually put 40 candles on his cake...

He is going to get me so bad when I turn 40!

 Amazingly he blew out every single candle!  I am not kidding, every one!  We even have it recorded for Posterity on video tape.

 Can you see that plume of smoke after he blew out his candles?!!!

We also had a wonderful time for Father's day, hiking through the Cinque Terre region of Italy and relaxing on a beach.  I think he had a pretty good Matt week, it will be hard to top next year!

Tang soo do

For the past year or so Anya has been participating in a martial arts program called Tang Soo Do.  She has really enjoyed it.  Recently she had the opportunity to compete in the International Tang Soo Do European Championship.

 Receiving last minute instructions and tips from Master Oden

 Her Master, Master Oden, received his 5th degree in Black belt that day.

 Competing with her group in the creativity event.

They took Third Place!

 Then she went on to compete in forms and sparing within her Gup

 She did very well in both and got very good scores.  Although she didn't place, we feel like it was a great experience for her and she had lots of fun!

Here she is with the group trophy for third place.

Congratulations Anya and a very successful first competition!

We are so proud of you!

Duinrill!

I think our favorite part about the Netherlands is where we stayed!  We got this excellent tip from a few good friends of ours to stay at Duinrill.  We got a 3 bedroom bungalow, which included day passes to the amusement park and water park for all the days we would be there.  The kids loved it!  We would wake up early, and walk into the park, ride a few rides and enjoy some fun family times.  Then we would grab lunch and go site see whatever was on the agenda for that day.  It was a great weekend!

 The boys had to ride the boats!  Too bad Jack got paired with mom...I didn't last too long before motion sickness started to settle in!

 One of Cora's favorite rides.  

 The boys also love a good train!

 Matt and Anya have really gotten into Rotebahning.  

It is pretty popular all over Europe, but especially in Germany.  They were very pleased to see a track at Duinrill.  It is like a huge slide/roller coaster/bob sled, that goes all up through a hill or mountain   And you slide down it in these little cart/slide things with only a hand brake for control.  They love it!  Anya thinks I go too slow...so I don't usually ride.

 The last day Anya and Matt got up the courage to go on this crazy ride.  It is called "the Falcon", and it goes straight up, and comes back straight down.  Ahhh!  Add in a few loopty loops and you get a crazy ride.

going up...

 Made it to the top...

 but you must come back down!

I loved the pancakes there.  They are very popular and you can find pancake house restaurants all over.  I was expecting more of a crepe, but was pleasantly surprised when I got something completely new and unique.

This was the cheese and apple one, so very delicious!

The Hague and Tulips...

Our last day in The Netherlands we drove out to The Hague and looked around, then drove along the coast thru the tulip fields.

Matt was most interested in seeing this building...The Palace of Peace

Our trip through the Tulip fields was interesting.  I had imagined in my head seeing rows and rows of various colored petal bliss.  I actually "borrowed" the above picture from a friend...it depicts perfectly what I had hoped I would see...

 but, alas, we were a few days too late...

most of the tulip petals had fallen and lay in between the rows waiting for the wind to carry them off.

 Here is a small field with a few tulips still holding onto their petals.

 We found this lonely strip of yellows...

 and far off in the distance we found a patch of reds.

Not the tulip sight we had hoped for, but after all  we were going at the end of May.  So our hopes weren't that high.  It was still fun trying to spot tulips, the whole family got into it and Matt tried not to groan too much at the million U-turns I made him take!

In the end, we called it an early night and went back to our lodging to eat dinner and hang out at the water park.

The kids were very happy!