Jelly Ham and Cheese does Dallas

So I have told you earlier, but I wanted to make a whole post dedicated to the "news"…but I am very happy to say that my brother proposed to Cassie on Christmas eve…We were all very shocked and surprized because we had NO clue it was coming, but we all love Cassie and we are excited about adding her to our family…

here is a silly pic of the two of them..

so my brother and his girl friend…Cassie got a new dog a few years ago..a 2 year old tea cup yorkie named Trigger…They love this dog as their own…so does mom…and all my family…he has to wear clothes because he is used to the California weather so coming to GA he shivers, and it is so sad to see a 3lb dog shivering…

Well here is where the funny starts: Cassie’s step sister has a girl chiwawa dog that is 4 years old and it taller and weighs more then Trigger..can you get where I am going…It is Christmas and I guess that means time for Christmas Cheer, but lets just say that poor Trigger got way MORE than he was expecting for Christmas…So they were letting the dogs play together..no big deal right…well then all of a sudden Garett could see that the girl dog was getting a bit too promiscuous to poor 3 lb Trigger…Garett and Cassie were no only telling us this story but also demonstrating and because Garett is bigger than Cassie, he portraded "the girl dog" is this whole scenario. Well let’s just say I have never laughed so hard in my life. Let’s just say that Trigger even though he had to do all "the work" (G- rated) when Cassie was showing how he just placed his arms on top and just fell asleep for a few minutes during "the work" it was sad and funny at the same time. Well after a few laughs and Cassie saying she couldnt watch her "son" do "the work" anymore, that was when they tried to get the puppies apart and that didnt work either…pouring water over them…didnt work…placing them in running water…didnt work…so needless to say "the work" was done and I guess Cassie’s family will soon be giving away Chiwawa Yorkies…. ha ha

here is a pic of Trigger all dressed up for Christmas:

well I had this feeling that once I got back from my trip that I wouldnt have anything to talk about…well guess what…I dont really…Maybe I will come up with some funny stories or something..But I can say that I am still so happy to be back in the USA….and Christmas was very good to see everyone…I hope you and your families had  a Merry Christmas as well.. Gilly

Hey you all I just wanted to tell you that I am back in Dalton!!!! Or really Rocky Face, but I am here…after 12 hours on a plane….not to mention all the down time waiting on the planes….the plane not coming to get me in Charlotte… oh and loosing my luggage..spending the night in a hotel..getting up early early this morning to get back to the air port…I am finally here!!!! Thanks for your thoughts and prayers along this big adventure..I am going to keep up my blog with stuff, so stay tuned…loveya all, Gilly

IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?

1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that’s playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don’t lie!
———————————————
——————–

Opening Credits: A little more you- (Little Big Town)- appropriate

First Day At School: would you go with me (Josh Turner)-very appropriate

Falling In Love: Walk Away-(Kelly Clarkson), wow I should have learned that a long time ago! ha ha

Fight Song: whiskey and you (Tim McGraw)

Breaking Up: MMM, MMM, MMM (Crash test Dummies)

Prom: Mountain music (Alabama)

Life: chicken fried (Zac Brown Band)

Mental Breakdown: all for one (high school musical 2)

Driving: because you love me (jo de messina)

Flashback: cant buy me love (michael buble)

Getting Back Together: Jolene (Dolly Parton) (wow that is crazy…talking about the other woman..please dont take my man)

Wedding: so long jimmy (james blunt)

Birth of Child: live with lonesome (little big time) I DO NOT like this one

Final Battle: ohio, come back to texas (bowling for soup)

Death Scene: let’s try it again (new kids on the block)

Funeral Song: here is my heart (martina mcbride)

End Credits: that girl (stevie wonder)

I decided to take my last and final trip to Salzburg, Austria…mainly bc I wanted to get to Austria since I touching the country…and 2, bc I love love love The Sound of Music…I grew up watching it…I used to watch it almost ever Sunday afternoon if college with no alarm clock naps with April Baker (Welch), I love the songs and the soundtrack…so I wanted to see the famous land it was filmed on…in the time that I was researching Salzburg…I also learned that it was a true life story..sadly I didnt know that this whole time…Marie Van Trapp did exsist…which I love even more! She died in 1987, but her spirit still lives on! Sadly the people from Salzburg DO NOT even know about the movie or the family..They are living amongst a "Classic" and they dont even know about it….

I started my trip on Tuesday morning where Amy Page took me to the train station, I road on 4 different trains and after 7 hours I finally got there to Salzburg…it was already getting dark at 3:30 when I got there, so I asked Info how to get to my hotel/farmhouse…and they told me by taxi…So I took a Taxi and about 15 minutes later and 10 Euro later ($15 USD) I was there. I learned that the restaurant was closed for 2 days, and that there wasnt a shutle or anything to get down the big hill/mountainto where my hotel/farmhouse was…If you have ever been to my parents house imagine that times 10…or I was telling Emily Rice…with her parents driveway…imagine that about 5 times and that was how far it took me to get up that hill/mountain.  so it was way up there in the hills…but it did have a great view…

So I got to my room and just cried and cried…I was being such a baby….bc I have never really traveled alone like that…I mean I have been outside the US and I dont know all languages, so I was very scared to be in a country where I dont know the language at all. So after I got myself together…oh and I couldnt just pick up the phone and call my mom…I finally planned out my trip, right down to the hour! I had it all figured out and after 2 hours of planning, I was ready to set out on my journey!

here is my room/bed…and here is my tiny International shower…

Wed. morning, the tour guide for my Sound of Music tour, came and picked me up…

I went on the tour and it was so fabulous..we got to sing songs and see all the sights…we went into the mountains to see where the Von Trapps got married in the movie, we got to go inside.

 and I even got my picture made beside the gazebo (I am 16 going on 17)….

Here is the Palace of Leopoldskron where the family had pink lemonade on the terrace with the Baroness and Maria and the children were on the boat and fell into the water of this lake.

here is the Abbey of Nonnberg, the nunnery where Maria was when she was called to become the governess for the Von Trapp family.

if you notice in the left side oh this picture where that building comes to a point, well to the left of that is a small arch..that is where the children in the movie came to the Abbey and shook the gate door to find Maria after she had ran away from the house! pretty cool!

Here are the Mirabella Gardens and Fountain where the children sang "Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do"

Agriturismo, this is a farmhouse type restaurant where the owner grow their own livestock, garden and winery…They serve you the food from their own harvests!!!! Usually the whole family works there and that is how they make their $ for the year..This particular one had a winery…notice my pictures…I took advantage of the winery!!!! I went with a big group here from the Army Post, and we had a great time…I think I was awarded "the best wine taster" bc I tasted ALOT of wine…again notice my pics!

These were the ladies in my car:(The rowdy bunch)  Lisa, Sandy, Regina, Kristy, Heather, and me

Here is me eating my dinner (it was actually all good, except the chicken/pork liver… but even the noodles were handmade with the wheat/flour they grew..everything was so fresh! Even the plates were garnished with home grown produce. The bacon and sausage was my favorite!!! oh and the roasted potatoes and turnip greens were also very good! and we had sorbetto (a sherbert type drink in lemon flavor)!

You all know I have had a man crush on most of your fathers…well I found a "man crush" here as well! His name is Roy..he is actually part of the family that I had Thanksgiving with!

after dinner they had us try Grappa…Vicenza is known for its Grappa…Grappa is a fragrant grape-based pomace brandy of between 30% and 80% alcohol by volume (60 to 160 proof), of Italian origin. Literally "grape stalk", grappa is made by distilling pomace, grape residue (mainly the skins, but also stems and seeds) left over from winemaking after pressing.

Italians add this to their expresso and coffee’s all day long…It was said that it helped with digestion! but it was Yuck! eventhough it looks as though I am drinking the whole bottle, I only took a sip!

Here are just some silly pics of my with my favorite kind of wine..it was a frizzy wine!

and here is my and Heather…

It was a great night had by all!

So I took this ITR trip on a Saturday, just like I had with Florence and Milan…these trips worked out fabuolous for me bc they take care of everything and all I had to do was just be on the bus at the certain time..this time is was very early!!!

It only took us about 3 hours to cross over into the borders of Switzerland, and bc I was on a bus with about 50 other people they didnt make us get off and check our passports, so I was kinda sad that I didnt get mine stamped! boo-hoo!

On the way to Lugano, we did pass Lake Como (it was the lake that George Clooney found and loved during the making of Ocean’s 12, and he now has a villa in the mountains, but Lake Como was also in the movie)

While I was there, we went on a morning tour and saw some more chapels I will not bore you with that..bc actually I was getting bored myself…but I did find some neat pics of the city and of the moutains and the water…When we were leaving to go to a Chocolate factory, we saw a plane drop out paratroopers into the water and then small boats go and pick them up.  We also saw helicopters coming and using these buckets to get water from the lake and try to burn out a fire that was started, it was some sort of Military demonstration..

here are my pics: click on them to make them bigger

and here is my fav…this just goes to show you how much they try to be Americans!

hello fellow reading fans…I have not posted about my trip to Switzerland, but I will get that going as soon as I can…but I do want to tell you about my trip to Salzburg, Austria while it is on my mind….

So friends…as you all know, I have been living with Lauren Kearney here in Italy on an Army post…so technically I am an honorary Army Wife….except I am missing the Army hubby…well I have learned that there is a website that the men write on, telling us what they need and want…They can ask for certain things, and leave contact information… THIS IS HOW THEY GET THE NECESSITY’S THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTIT AT THE LOCAL WALMART/ TARGET…

Here is just an example I found of someone asking for the smallest things, but yet it would make a huge difference for their everyday life:

Baby wipes would be appreciated, as well as snacks, beef jerky, canned soup, tuna packs, anything instant (coffee-just add water, hot chocolate)chips, crackers, cookies. Hot hands, hand warmers.

it is getting cold..very cold there, and Dan (Laurens hubby) has asked for some things…I am going to include the link to the web site, but you must find him by his last name…he has also written about him and his men, and he aslo has pictures so you can get an idea of what it is like out there for them…

http://www.anysoldier.com/WhereToSend/

(look up in alphabetical order CPT Daniel Kearney to the left hand side)

Also here are some other men (who I have been spending time with their wives here in Italy that also have links to this site)

CPT John Page ( he is company commander for Legion Company)

Michael P. Moad (he is a over a plattoon for Battle Company, the one that Dan is over)

CPT John Thyng (He is also another company commander to Fusion Company here from Italy)

OR please feel free to search this website and find anyone/plattoon/company to send too…I was just highlighting these men bc I know their wives so well, but there are so many people in need over there, and they are depending on US to send it to them. I am going to make it a personal goal for myself to keep up with this website and send a box each month! how hard is that to pick up a few items that THEY NEED, and mail them!

Thanks you all so much…I hope that you can help out a bit, I know the guys who are away from their families would def. appreciate any of these things….I am not trying to make you feel guilty, but Lauren, myself, and her ladies in her company helped pack about 50 boxes to send to the guys, and it felt so good to know that I was making a difference and sending some love and care packages to our guys who are fighting!!!! Thanks again, Gilly