Merry Christmas!

Well Merry Christmas to everyone! We celebrated Christmas today, the 26th, because Robert had to work on Christmas Day. That didn't get us down at all, what did get us down is that we are all sick with horrible colds unfortunately. Ruth was unfortunately miserable which is the reason for the pacifiers in all of the pictures!

We loved all of our presents for everyone and thank you to all, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles...thanks to ALL!






I bet you can't find Ruth in all of these toys! These aren't even all of them and doesn't include the mountain of clothes for her too!



Mommy and Daddy got me this ride on Zebra and I couldn't wait to get it put together and rarely got off of it all day!

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Thanks Aunt Katrina for the new lady bug bean bag chair. We officially retired my old chair to upstairs because Mommy thinks this one is so WWAAYYY better!

Beautiful view from our front door

There is something wonderful about Sigonella Sicily. There must be because there are ALWAYS rainbows here. I see them almost everytime it rains but this time I grabbed my camera and snapped a good shot. The other end of the rainbow ended right in the middle of the runway where Robert works. Such a beautiful sight for him at work and me at home.

Our Christmas Tree

The final touches to our christmas tree are finally complete just for it to be taken down in a week! Oh well. Thanks to Grammy Eck for sending the beautiful angel to top out tree!

Breakfast with Santa

We went for breakfast with Santa last weekend and things did not go as planned. We ended up eating breakfast but never seeing Santa. There was a 2 hour line to see santa! We already know that she is a screamer for Santa so why stand in line for 2 hours to see a man that she hates? So we just ate the free pancakes and sausage and then went shopping!

The strike is over! After five long days of a trucker strike the country has gone back to normal. This strike is the first truck strike in Italy since 1990 with 90 percent of truckers participating. It resulted in a loss of 5 million euros (7.5 million dollars). Food began rotting in warehouses, gas stations were closed, and the whole country came to a stand still.

This is the scene of ALL of the gas stations in Italy the past few days. The sign saying "Chiuso" means "closed"and that man is the gas station attendent with his arms up to indicate "There is nothing I can do about it...we have no gas"

This is the scene of many warehouses as spoiling food has to be thrown out becuase the truckers were not delivering them for sale. This is also what many of the shelves of our grocery stores looked like as well.

This is what the highways looked like when the strike first took place. Trucks blocking the toll booths so no one could travel on highways. Trucks also made baracades in the middle of major highways and the entrances to other countries. Trucks were even blocking certain off ramps so that regular cars couldn't even go home!

Nationwide Truck Strike!

A truck strike has occured all over Italy and is not looking to resolve soon. This has already resulted in empty gas stations and no milk or eggs. We have only 1/4 of a tank of gas with none coming our way soon. We were told to stock up on enough groceries to get us until January (since we won't be able to get to the grocery store on no gas) praying that it will get resolved then. Schools have closed in Naples, Italy on base and simply waiting for Sigonella's to close as well. Hopefully the truck drivers get what they want soon so we can have gas and milk!

Christmas Party

Today was the Christmas Party for Robert's work. It was at the movie theatres which meant Ruth got to go watch a movie on the big screen for the first time! At first she was mesmorized by the big screen, bog cookies, and big seat....

After a while she got bored, went down the stairs, and made friends with another little girl her age. They played and played for a long time, sharing toys, and hugging eachother everytime they got close.

Then it was time to meet Santa. This was not an enjoyable experience to say the least. Oh well maybe next year..?

Sunny Sigonella... for 2 days

It was sunny and warm on Thursday and Friday, unlike the usual rain. Robert cut the grass in the back yard and cleaned up the yard real nice and set out her toys again. She had such a blast playing in the yard for two days that I am not sure she even came in the house! Saturday it was back to rain.

New Marinai Playgroup!

This Wednesday Ruth and some of her friends had their first playgroup at the Recreational Center. One of the stay at home dad's decided to create it. Ruth is friends with all of these kids and have played with them before and it was nice to have somewhere for all of them to play and not in our houses to make the mess! Ruth's friend in the back is Emily (2), Ayden is the little one (16 months) and in the front is Landon (14 months). They had so much fun we decided to organize it every monday and wednesday mornings for 2 hours with snack time, craft time, and so much more! We are so excited. Anyone from Marinai is invited to come on out! Call me for more info.

Tree lighting ceremony

Mommy just woke me up from nap, put this cute sweater on me, and drug me down to the base to eat cookies, watch the tree lighting, sing christmas carols, and jump in the inflatable jumpy houses in the gym. I had so much fun, too bad daddy didn't get to come. He had to work late.... aaaaggggaaaiiiinnn.

This is the huge tree that we watched light up!

Ruth and the baby

Ruth LOVES babies. If there is a baby around she has no interest in anything else but that baby. Our friends have a baby girl named Abby. Ruth climbs up next to the baby and puts Abby on her lap. She likes to get in her face and coo to her and make her smile. She also lifts her shirt and tickles her belly. She could sit for hours doing this. I think it is the only time she sits still!

Getting ready for Christmas

Ruth loved helping mommy decorate the tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. She did a great job hanging the "non-breakables" on the tree!

Hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving!

Hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving! Robert had to work but we still did. Mommy bought me a special dress just for thanksgiving and put my hair in pigtails so that I was the cutest toddler at the party! We went to Roberts bosses for dinner and there were a lot of people and a lot of good food! We were happy to have somewhere to go while Robert was working.

I am done eating mom. I don't want my dinner rolls so here take it!

Bye Mom! I am going inside to play with the kids and you and that camera are staying outside!

Eating triscuits and cheese for my appetizers waiting for the turkey to get done! That is the neighbor boy behind me. We are right next door to eachother and share the same building. I see him and play with him all of the time. There were so many other kids there that I had no interest in playing with him.

I wish it was July!

It has been so cold and windy here lately but that doesn't stop Ruth from getting undressed and finding her hippo floaty and wishing she was catching some rays at Splashers Pool. Oh well... just 5 or 6 more months and we will be back at Splashers and hitting all the Italian Water Parks again.

Exhausted!

After going to play for a few hours to the daycare she was exhausted! Mommy bought her a cookie and she only got two bites out of it and fell fast asleep. The cookie fell out of her mouth and between her legs and she slept the whole way home with a mess around her mouth.

Being Silly at breakfast

New trick! Maybe she learned this from watching Ruby with her dog bone?

Pumpkin Carving

Ruth didn't like the feeling of the inside of the pumpkin on her hand and wanted nothing to do with helping us carve the pumpkin. If you can't tell... our pumpkin is a picture of a werewolf biting the neck of a girl.

Real Cereal!

Well I gave in finally! It has always been dry cereal for Ruth because she can be a big mess maker and was never real good at the spoon. She is getting much better now, although not perfect. For the first time in her life she had a bowl of milk and cereal! Needless to say it was still a mess but she is getting better. And she loved it so much better than dry cereal and a cup of milk.

Football Games

Lately we have been spending two nights a week watching Daddy play flag football. He is the quarterback of the Supply Department's team and he is GOOD! Ruth loves watching the game and saying "looooookk. BALL!"




Sometimes right before the game starts I talk to daddy and charm the referee (on the left). My magic charming smile I give him helps make it a little one sided to be extra sure that daddy wins the game!

At the football games it can get a little chilly so thanks so much to Grammy Eck for sending the perfect new football outfit!

Autumn Fest!

Tonight was Autumn Fest on the base and Ruth had a great time. She was the cutest pink poodle around and of course the only pink poodle around! She went "trunk-or-treating", rode the rides, and ate chicken kabobs, french fries, and funnal cake! When her belly was full and the rides were rode we headed home just in time for her to crash and do it all over again tomorrow night!

Playgroup

Ruth went to the Marinai playgroup this morning and had to wear her costume. She loved going to the playgroup and had lots of fun with the kids but HATED her halloween costume! Well she has 3 more parties and then trick or treating to go to so I guess she has to endure it.

I leave Ruth alone in her room to play. 2 minutes later I go in the check on her and this is what she does to her room! Every piece of clothing she owns is thrown around her room. We have officially hit the toddler years! What am I going to do?

OOOOCCCHHHIIIEEE!!!

Well long story short, Mommy and Daddy and I were going on a walk and I was on my tricycle that mommy has a handle to push me. Well when mommy went to make a sharp turn I let go and raised my hands for daddy to pick my up. I ended up doing a face plant in the road. Once again I end up with my nose scraped up and this time... my first bloody nose. I seem to be doing well after all was said and done I only cried for 15 minutes and then played the night away until i fell asleep. Man what a rough night! I think Mommy feels real bad. :(

GO STEELERS!

Today is the day! At 7 pm tonight we will get to watch our first steelers game this year. We have missed all the others because they weren't broadcasted out here. Tonight though.... it will be live!!!! We are are so excited! GO PITTSBURGH STEELERS!




We bought this bow for ruth and can't wait to see it in person! It isn't here yet but maybe by the next game we see.

Birthday Party

We went to Landons Birthday Party a couple of weeks ago. Landon and Ruth loved playing together! Happy first birthday Landon!