not a "real" update but at least it's something...

So I know that I have been absent on the blog lately. School and other responsibilities have totally taken over my life. I am really looking forward to some R&R on our vacation next week to Malta. Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving! I will miss being in America and eating mashed potatoes and pie...

P.S. Here are some pics of us last month preparing for Halloween for your viewing pleasure.

This is NOT Olive Garden peeps!

Real Italian is SO much better!

Here is some of the yummy food we have eaten lately. OH and I've added a few german favs too. Hope you enjoy :)

Pizza Verdure AKA: veggie pizza- mushrooms, yellow and red pepper, zucchini, eggplant and YES those are french fries :) I literally crave this pizza at least once a week.

German chicken and fries yummy!

Fusilli ricotta e pesto AKA: Spiral pasta with ricotta cheese and pesto

Ravioli ricotta e alle erbe con panna AKA: Ravioli filled with ricotta cheese and herbs topped with a cream sauce. This is my favorite pasta to order and I get it basically every time we go out. Sometimes it comes with mushrooms or ham. This one I actually got at the mall.

Same dish as above but shown with my focaccia bread

Goulash with dumpling AKA: German stew. IT. IS. awesome. period.

Torte al Cioccolato AKA: Chocolate cake! Well kind of. It's the closest thing to it and its really really good. My italian friend Barbara made one this summer for a BBQ and it was the best Italian torte I have ever tasted.

Spaghetti Arrabiato AKA: This literally means "angry pasta." It is REALLY spicy and fabulous!

Oktoberfest!

Last weekend we took a trip to Munich, Germany for OKTOBERFEST!!

You may think, "Isn't that just one giant drinking party?"

Why yes. yes, it is. I have never seen so many drunkards in my life.

We steered clear of that but had a blast anyway and there are other things to do besides getting what my husband calls "smammered." (which would be totally wasted.)

*One, we ate really good food. Chicken, some donut like thing with sugar all over it, white chocolate dipped strawberries, apple strudel and goulash.

*Two, we rode really scary rides.

*Three, we checked out all the cool traditional German dresses and lederhosen.

*Four, we shopped for souvenirs

Some of the beer tents

Gingerbread cookies

We went into the Hofbrau tent

Chicken and pretzels

We had to check-in to facebook!

Our waitress could carry eight beers at a time!

This is a hill where all the drunks passed out

Another beer tent

We watched at least six people get carried away on stretchers

The best treat of the day had to be the white chocolate covered strawberries!

This is the CRAZY ride that made us sick

Oh what do we do in the summer time...

Go to the market, that's what!

Here are some pictures we have taken at the Aviano Market this last spring and summer.

We don't always take pictures when we go to the market but these first pictures were taken when we went with Dustin's dad in April.

Aren't they beautiful?!?

I bought some colored branches for spring

and these are some of the pictures Alissa took of the market while she was here in June:

They sell curtains.

and clothes.

Alissa in front of the fruit and veggie stand

the candy stand

AWE look at those GREEN pepper and tomato plants.... (for the results of those plants click here. I swear you'll be impressed. )

Yummy cheese

If you come visit us we will take you here I promise!

and you will love it.