2016

oh my 

it's been over a year since 

i have blogged....

 so let me do a quick update...

we completed the bipartisian european vacation...

it was everything i hoped it would be.

we pcs'd from italy 

it was all the heart break i imagined it would be

we ended up in colorado

(it is a beautiful state and close to home)

ken left shortly after arriving

to do a remote tour 

in 

thule, greenland

 

(which should be blogged about but i will do that later)

i unpacked us

found a job

emmi started preschool

i started work

and 

we began this "new" life

we said goodbye to ken's grandmother

we said hello to thule, greenland 

(for a short visit)

 

we said see ya later...again... 

to ken

and 

we survived with minimal damage 

2015

and now we prepare for our last month without ken

and our last month until we have a 4 year old!

(are 4 year olds still toddlers? 

or are they officially "little" girls? 

it's such an awkward age..

what do we have?)

maybe i will blog more

maybe i won't 

regardless

if i document it for all to read

i know that 2016 will be another

"new" 

year 

for so many reasons

 ken will be home

a home he doesn't know

(because he left 3 weeks after we arrived here

and has only spent 3 weeks midtour here)

we will have to adjust 

to having ken home

and a part of our life

here

a life we aren't use to having him a part of

so here's to 2016

and 

the possibility of more blogging

because 

i have fast internet

and

in a short time

a partner

to help with this crazy thing 

called

life. 

love love

from colorado

Bipartisan European Adventure

soon we are about to embark 

on 

a 

bipartisan european adventure

(because my dad and step mom are joining us

i titled it 

a play off my maiden name 

and 

my married name

besides we all know you have to have a good hashtag)

here's a brief synopsis of our trip

21 days

most on the road

traveling from venice

to

munich

to 

prague

to 

brussels

to 

london

to 

normandy

to

paris

to geneva

back to italy

then 

a one day laundry day

back on a train

to rome

for more travel

all with a toddler

(whose potty training/trained gasp!)

it's the last hurrah to get everything knocked off our bucket list before we move back to the states

i've planned it all

i have an itinerary

activities planned almost to the minute

after our trip

i will post all my tips

our full itinerary 

(i am not posting now because it includes dates....gotta be safe ya know!)

it will be fun

it will be trip of a lifetime!

for now i leave you with 

packing tips

because we won't be in one place longer than three days

i am packing in ziplock bags

it's easier to pull out one bag then dump out all the clothes looking for something

for the toddler

i did one outfit in a bag

socks, outfit, panties

for the adults

i bagged by item

ex socks in one bag

underwear in one bag

shirts in bags

(i know this isn't a fully packed suitcase. 

eventually it was fully packed)

you get the idea

here's to making memories

and seriously

i may put this project on my resume....

love love from aviano!

he found a wine he likes!!!!

it only took three and a half years

but

my beer only husband

finally 

found a wine he likes

and 

we found a beautiful vineyard to explore as well
our quest for this vineyard 
all started after we spotted a
50 euro
bottle of wine
at our local wine bar
why on earth was this wine 50 euro??
(note to readers, we are cheap winos
and
only spend avg 6-10 euro a bottle)
we saw the vineyard
on the label
google mapped it
realized it was only a couple of hours away
and
decided
to drive there
to try it
in 
hopes it would be cheaper there
then 
at the wine bar

enter

{santa sofia}

the drive up was gorgeous

 at the end of this tree lined road
sat the vineyard
(this picture doesn't do it justice)
the winery was founded in
1811
Giancarlo Begnoni
the head of the vineyard

was there when we came
and 
he provided us a wonderful tasting experience
without even setting up an appointment!
(perks of going mid week)
he gave us a brief history about the wine he "made"


and 
friends it is worth every penny!
it has only been made
seventeen times
in 
fifty years!
we even got to see the historical cellars
the oldest cellar
dates back to the 11th century!

it is dedicated 
to 
Santa Sofia
the newest cellars

were built in the 18th century
the tour was delightful
very informative

and the grounds were simply gorgeous

i apologize
i wish i had more
and
better pictures
but 
we had a two year old with us
and 
between 
wine tasting
chasing a two year old
and 
listening to the wealth of information from Giancarlo
(whom speaks mainly italian and i speak mainly english)
my photo opportunities were limited
but 
aviano folks 
take my word
drive the two hours 
out towards verona
and 
see this beautiful vineyard
and taste
the wine
it's extremely pleasing to the pallet
(do i sound like a wino yet)
 my beer loving husband
finally bought a case of wine

he calls
"all his"

love love
from 
aviano