First school project

JR's preschool class is learning about buildings. So, mama helped him make a building for show and tell. Pretty good lookin' igloo! JR was very proud to show it to his teacher and classmates.

Happy Birthday Joey!

Guess who's one year old today? It's been quite a first year. Happily you wouldn't know that this little guy was such a tiny thing when he was born one year ago. Here Joey is wearing one of the shirts his Grandma Parker made for him and sitting on a quilt his Grammy Graham made for him.

Sledding

We took a break from sorting through boxes today and drove up into the mountains to go sledding. We went to a ski town called Piancavallo where there was plenty of snow (unlike down around us, where there has been none). Good times were had by all. We even took Murphy and he joined us for one sled run. JR's getting better with him, but I'm pretty sure Murphy still misses his old peaceful life.

Christmas in Rome

At some famous place

At the Vatican museums

Mmmm.. panettone al cioccolato

Not this Christmas, son..

At the Trevi fountain

When in Italy.. Go to Rome, right?

Getting tired of being in the on-base lodging and having a break from work, we took the train down to Rome and spent five days there over Christmas. The weather was good and the crowds were only about half of what Jill remembered them being in the summer months. We saw the big sights and also got to experience some local flair, like carolers on the piazza outside our apartment and ordering a panettone from a VERY busy local bakery on Christmas Eve!

The boys did great on our sightseeing. JR was a good walker, especially when bribed with biscotti and gelato. And Joey was happy as a clam being strapped to Mamma's chest. He also liked the attention from Romans who called him "bellisimo" and cooed at his blue eyes.

Ho-ho-ho

One of the cool things about being back in a fighter squadron is your kid gets to see Santa Claus arrive to the Christmas party in and F-16. JR got a pretty big kick out of that. Joey was less impressed.

Family pics

Before we left Tulsa, we had a photographer take some family pictures.  Here's a really good one of the boys.  They're pretty big file sizes, so please email me if you want to see more for displaying/printing.  (We'll send out Christmas New Year's cards eventually.. they'll have some of these pictures in them.)

Benvenuti

We were welcomed with this view from our bedroom window when we woke up the first morning in Italy. This is the view looking out at the Dolomites from on-base at Aviano. We'll be living in a town just at the foot of these mountains for the next three years. Hello hiking and skiing!