Goat Farm

I promised myself that I would be better at posting pictures, I guess I failed that goal.

A few ladies and I went to a goat farm this weekend while the boys are gone. There was horses, goats, cows and lots of stray little kittens.

Kalyne and her son Ashton.

Amy and Tristan. I love this little boy, he gets this big toothy grin when he sees me. He looks just like my nephew Charlie.

Ali and me, with this sweet stray kitten. She followed us around, and purred constantly. I want to take her home.

Sally's little boy Boon feeding a goat. (and the back of Ashton's head)

Kalyne feeding the goat, Ashton wasn't to sure about them.

We had a blast atleast the adults did. After we watched the goats, horses and cows, we went into the little store and bought goat cheese. I bought goat butter for Matt, when he gets back. I hope he likes it, he loves weird food.

Then we went out to the restaurant called the Wagon Wheel. Super good Italian food. I always get Pizza Prosciutto e Chipolla. It's ham and onion pizza. I love it.

EFMB Graduation

The last 2 weeks Matt has been in Germany doing a course. The Expert Field Medical Badge course. They had 1 week of learning everything and then 1 week of executing what they have learned. It is suppose to be a very hard course to pass. Only about 10-15% pass. They only offer the course once a year. The last event in the course was a 12 mile ruck march, it ended about 45 minutes before graduation. So I blindly drove up to Germany (8 hours) hoping and praying Matt would pass his test and then complete the ruck.

Matt waiting in line to get pinned. The pin is another tab that goes above his Airborne wings.

Matt getting pinned by General Hertling. He gave a speech and was cracking jokes the whole time. Even when he was pinning people, he was making jokes. It was the funniest ceremony I've been to.

Matt getting his certificate of completion from Major Capel.

Matt and the other 2 guys Whiteneck and Bundy that got pinned from our battalion. They are also in Matt's platoon. The guy in the cap is Josh Hetisimer he helped run the course and is also in Matt's platoon.

I'm so proud of Matt and all he has accomplished there, it was difficult for him because the platoon is mostly Medics and they have experience doing Medical things. Matt doesn't, he was a little behind the curve. He did amazing.

This is the 8th ceremony Matt has been in, since he's been in the military. I haven't missed one and don't plan on it.

Matt's Birthday

I am not a birthday person. I just do not like being the center of attention, I do like to force other people to be though. The last two years I throw Matt a surprise birthday party. It was great fun. However with me being gone for almost a month right before his birthday, a party was out of the question. Let alone a surprise one. I did buy Matt a few clothes and cds. I know I'm a party pooper. He's not really a toy kind of guy. Okay he is. But that gets very expensive. I did buy him this sweet globe.

He has been asking for one for months, possibly even a year. He would say he needed one when he wanted to see the distance from anyplace. Like from he to Paris. He wanted to look at a globe, to determine that. I love him. He's cute. A little unpredictable, and a little uncertain. But he is a keeper.

Marostica

This is a walled city with a castle at the top and a castle at the bottom. This is a view from the highway.

This is one of the towers at the end of the wall.

The town is known for a live chess game (like Harry Potter-Wizard's chess). If you look closely you can see the chess board. The show is only in September every even year. 2012 here we come. The tickets are super expensive, about 80.00 a ticket.

This is one of the castles at the bottom where all the shops are.

The town is also know for cherries. We stopped at this little store and bought some chocolate covered cherries. Matt was in heaven.

This is a cherry vineyard. We stopped at this roadside stand and bought some cherries. We bought a kilo and it only cost 4 euro which is about 4.75 to 5.00. The guy that sold them had a button up shirt that was unbuttoned half way down his belly. Gross. And he was old.

You can see he filled that whole bag.

Nove

This entire town makes Ceramics. Everyone makes all different kinds, plates, bowls, vases, mugs, pizza plates. This is the front of the VBC, a store that everyone loves.

All the ceramics in the store.

This is a staged area. So you can see how everything will sit out.

We've bought a few serving bowls and plates and love, love them. They are some beautiful pieces.

Military Ball and Sightseeing

The Edelweiss Resort where we stayed. It had a spa and pool down stairs. We went swimming and hot tubbing after the ball.

Matt and I at the ball. You can't see my dress, but it's a big puffy ball gown.

The town of Oberammergau. They are know for their wood carving and The PassionPlay. They have some beautiful Nativity Set and Candle Pyramids.

A croissants that I had. German ones are the best, better than French or Italian. Theirs are too sweet.

We walked through this fair in Garmisch. We bought the croissant and brats here. They had laderhosen. It was really expensive clothing. Like 200 euros, which it about 350.00 dollars.
The brat I bought. It was so good. I did not want to share.

Humpty dumpty. The store behind Matt, was full of wood carved humpty dumptys. It was crazy creepy. Stalkerish creepy.

King Ludwig II palace. Sorry I didn't get a closer picture. It was beautiful. He was so full of himself. He had mirrors everywhere, so he can look at himself, all over his home. Everything was gold plated, doors, walls, scones, and chandeliers.

We had a so much fun in Germany. It was beautiful. The sky the weather the Bavaria food, it was all wonderful.

Rome

Yup, our hotel was that close. Look at that view, the Colosseum was amazing.

Inside the Colosseum.

These are ruins in the middle of the city. Yes you heard that right. They were all over the place. Ruins. Just fenced off. Crazy right?

At the Roman Forum.

Pantheon. The Doom was open, and it was raining. So they had the middle section blocked off, since the marble was slippery. The whole floor was different colors of marble. It was beautiful.

The Doom in the Pantheon.

A column at the Pantheon. Rose and Paul trying to wrap their arms around it. It is solid marble. Could you image how much those suckers weigh?

The Trevi Fountain. Look at those sculptors. Breathtaking.

It's tradition to turn around and throw a Euro in backwards and make a wish, and that's what we did.

Matt, Me, Paul, Mom, and Rose. We didn't get many family pictures.

The Spanish Steps. Matt and Paul ran to the top. There was a crazy vendor that kept on pushing roses onto us, and then didn't understand that we didn't want them, if we had to pay for them.

Rome was incredible. There is so much history and beauty in everything. For all those who want to come and visit, Rome is a must. Be prepared to do a lot of walking. My feet hurt after awhile.