Grateful!

I went visiting teaching today and the lesson was appropriately on being grateful. Sad thing is, is that even though it is Thanksgiving in two days, I hadn't even given this a thought. But I am grateful that I had this lesson to remind me of all the things that I am thankful for.

First of all, I am thankful for my husband. I am thankful that he works as hard as he does for us, that he is willing to use his paycheck for nothing other than vacations, and that he is willing to serve our country. I am SO GRATEFUL that he is HOME (and home safe) from Afghanistan. It was hard to have him gone and Iam so happy now that we are back together and that now I can look forward to all the fun times in Italy ahead ofus. I love him so much!

I am grateful for my family. I am grateful that I get to talk to them once a week and that they are always there for me even though they live 9,000 miles away. I love them so much!!! I am very grateful for my Grandma, who came to live with me for three months just to keep me company. And we had the BEST time! I know that it cost her a lot of money to stay here, and I am grateful for her sacrifice.

I am grateful to live in Italy. I know that I have an amazing opportunity that I sometimes take for granted. Especially when I am homesick. But I absolutely love it here and don't want to leave anytime soon! We love the friends that we have made, Italian and American. (P.S. We are open to any and all visitors! We would love to show you around!)

I am thankful for my In-laws. It's so wonderful to have another family as great as your own. We were so lucky that they came to visit and we had so much fun. They are very supportive to us and we love them.

There is so much more that I am grateful for this Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for and we couldn't ask for a happier life.

Sono cosi grato per la mia famiglia, gli amici e le possibilita di vivere in Italia. Ti voglio bene tutti!!

Another vacation!

I have been a MAJOR slacker on my blog lately. I lot has been going on the last month. First Dustin finally got home from Afghanistan, October 4th. It is so great to have him home, though now I have more laundry :( His parents came out to visit and arrived on the 12th. We stayed super busy with them. We went fishing in Slovenia, to Florence, Siena, Venice, Garmisch, Munich, Salzburg, and Paris. We had such a fun time and it was sad to see them leave. It was sure great to finally see some family!

Getting ready to go fishing in Slovenia

Siena. Piazza Del Campo

On the Vecchio bridge in Florence

We stayed at a really cute house in Florence that we had all to ourselves! I LOVED it there!

I loved all the unique furniture

Looking out over Florence

The really cute hotel we stayed at in Garmisch. It was so much fun because they would have music and dancing every night on the main level.

Eating at the Hofbrauhaus

It was our first time to PARIS and I loved every minute of it

I loved watching the Eiffel Tower at night sparkle! It was so beautiful!

the BEST Christmas party this summer!!

Alissa's birthday party was SO MUCH fun this year! I was so glad that I was home to enjoy it. And all of you who didn't come.... you missed out!

Birthday girl with her cake!

Santa came! The kids were so excited and practically mauled him.

Chennell and Kate meeting Santa

Kiah was so excited to talk to Santa and tell him what she wanted this year for Christmas.

Alissa with Santa

Mom and Logan. He was not so happy about having to do this!

Ugly Sweater Contest!!! From the left: Ryan Olson, Aunt Deanne, Grandpa Kap, RaeAnne, Danny and Cynthia. I was amazed at how many people showed up in their sweaters and stayed in them even though it was 90 degrees

Nikki Jeske, JaLesha Olson, Ryan Olson and Aunt Deanne
Nikki won the adult contest!

Chennell Brand, Meagan Bills and Grandma

Kenna showing off her Christmas/Americana sweater. There are 13 flags on this thing! I think she should have won but she was the judge instead

Tenaya, Me, Kenna and Alissa posing with our sweaters

Kids gift exchange

Adult gift exchange

Three weeks in Utah!

So I had a lot of people say that I needed to up-date this thing more. (You know who you are.) And so I deecided to post at least something. Although I could be finishing my book, the second of the Hunger Games series. LUCKY for you, I have to make this book last at least a week so that I don't finish it before my mom can get the package sent out. Can't handle the waiting. And I hear that this one ends with a bigger cliff-hanger than the first one!

ANYWAYS... Here are some pics of my trip to Utah. We went to the Redwoods and to Oregon for my cousin Ashley's wedding. We had so much fun on our roadtrip but it went way too fast. Seriously way too fast. And now with no trips coming up anytime soon and no hubby home, I'm stuck with a boring life at home with my cats. Which will make all my future posts rather boring....But you asked for it!

P.S. I didn't include any pictures of Alissa's birthday because I am going to put those in their own post!

Me and Alissa's first time on the salt flats

Our family taking pictures outside of Dallans apartment before we knew he was actually home. I'm suprised he didn't hear us out here!

We got to see Dallan! OOPS! He is doing really well though!

Logan getting his fortune from Zoltar

It took eight of us holding hands to circle this tree

Alissa about to throw-up. She got motion sick from looking up at the Redwoods ha ha! Sorry liss!

Our family at the Aquarium

Alissa and me petting a shark. Super cool!

My cute family

Me and Alissa guarding our candy station


The cute couple: Ashley and Cameron with Grandma

MoRe PiCs!

These pictures are for you, Hilary and JaLesha! Hope you enjoy!

Beer garden in Germany

The Glockenspiel in Munich

the bunks that prisoners would sleep on in the Dachau Concentration Camp

The "showers" in the crematory of the camp

My car broke down in Mittenwald only 30 km from the hotel in Garmisch-Partenkirchen :( It was 3 hours later that we moved from this point

It's the NUDE beach in Croatia! The pictures I took were not too risque, but you can see a butt!

Summary of our Summer!

I have SO many pictures of all the trips that Grandma and I have been on this summer and so of course, now I am VERY behind on my blog. It feels like we have just gone from one vacation to another. Okay...so it feels that way because that is what has happened. We leave for 4 days come home for 6 then leave for 5 and home for 3. SO I decided to just put up one picture of every trip that we have been on and it would catch me up! The problem with that is that we have so many GOOD pictures that it was hard to just pick one, but I did it! Hope you all enjoy looking and that it makes you feel like you have had a little vacation to Italy yourself!

Grandma on the Grand Canal in Venice

Pompei with Mount Vesuvius in the background

Salerno

On top of the island of Capri

The Golden Cathedral in Amalfi

Top of the BEAUTIFUL church in Positano

Sorrento

Leaning Tower of Pisa!

Cinque Terre

Volterra

San Gimignano

2nd trip to Venice. It rained all day and flooded San Marco Piazza!

On a boat in CROATIA! (this is where we saw our first nude beach!)

On the rooftop of our hotel overlooking the Duomo in Florence

St. Peter's Basilica in Rome


Dachau Concentration Camp in Germany. This is the famous gate that says "Work will set you free" in German. Of course, this gave false hope to the prisoners.

Eating wurstel at the famous Hofbrauhaus in Munich


Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

If you want to see more pictures of a certain trip, let me know and I will post more. We only have one more trip to France and then we are headed home to Utah. Our summer has almost ended but I would call it a success!