Kisses for Flat Daddy

Flat Daddy recently came in the mail. Jake posed for this photo the day before he left and we ordered it that day. When it showed up in the mail it was a complete surprise to Ann-Marie and she was THRILLED! She said, "I'm going to kiss his nose! I'm going to kiss his lips! I'm going to kiss his eyes! I'm going to kiss his ears!" And she kissed each of those places as she said it. She gives the door a big hug several times per day. We got it from www.flatdaddies.com

New Painting

Here is a new painting that I bought to replace the big one that I always had behind my couch. This is a painting of Positano, a city south of Naples along the Almafi Coast. The artist himself sold this to me here in Vicenza. Anyway, the painting does NOT really go with anything in my house whatsoever but I like this and so I got it not too long ago. I thought I could add a few fancy Venetian masks around it and then it would fit in a little better. I know one thing...It would look much better if I had my walls repainted! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positano

Yard Campin'

We put up the tent in our yard this morning. I haven't decided if we are going to sleep in it or not tonight, especially since I have to work in the morning. But I know those birds will wake me up early. We don't have any stakes for this particular tent which is more like a 'playtent' (this isn't our 'cabella's tent that we bought in KC, honey- this is that one we got at a yard sale for 20 bucks). Anyway, I have it sorta wedged in between 3 trees for the shade and so even if the wind blows it's not going anywhere. I thought that just Ann-Marie and I could put it up but getting those fiberglass poles bent into a big dome with her just wasn't going to work so we had to wake Brandon up to help us. In the background you can see the corn fields that surround our fenced yard.

Singing in the tent

As soon as we got the tent up Ann-Marie ran upstairs to her room and got her tamberine and maracca; I think here she is singing "Why can't we be friends?"

Anyone have any ideas?

Here is a fruit tree of some sort in my back yard. The fruits have a 'pit' inside them that are similiar to a plum pit. It is hard to tell from the photo but they are the size of really big grapes but smaller than eggs. They are green but some at the top of the tree are turning pinkish. I have not eaten any of these but someone from work (an annonymous donor) dropped off something either the same or very similiar ...I tried those...sweet on the outside and very sour near the pit. They were pretty good.

Gurken

Here's a photo of my out of control garden and the cucumbers that are in bloom! We can't wait until we start getting some vegies! I only wish the gnomes would have weeded better.

Graduation Day June 10, 2007 7:30pm

Well, Jake missed Stephanie's graduation due to Iraq. And now Brandon's graduation due to Afghanistan. He thinks he might make it for Ann-Marie's graduation 12 years from now!

But as you can see from the photos...we had other guests for the graduation! Italian protesters. Anyway, some of their signs were written in English you might be able to see it above. The protestors, while bothersome, did not come inside and no violence broke out...but everyone was a little on edge and nervous to say the least. It is kind of scary walking through demonstrators lines wearing a dress and heels and holding on to a little kid's hand to get inside to the graduation. I was literally shaking like a leaf when I took this photo. So bad that I didn't think the photo would come out at all. Also, it is an interesting feeling to be protested KNOWING that my husband is downrange right FRIGGEN' now...and they are protesting against it (and the military base here). BUT...it's the democratic way, right? And weren't the Roman's the founders of democracy? So there ya have it.

But I was so proud of Brandon. His speech was awesome and he was just ....just so sweet. And he DID IT!!!!! Of course we always knew he would. And as I told him....it's on to better and bigger things!

Smart Boy there in the middle

Doesn't he look so smart here???

Reminds me of a story....one time when Brandon was beginning YET another school...it was the first day of school and he had 'new kid jitters'. LOL. He was laughing and joking around the house and saying "Mom, do I have bad breath today? I don't want the kids nick naming me 'Breath Boy' " and then he did a little circle dance thing and joked that the kids would all hold hands skipping around him singing "Breath Boy, Breath boy". I remember Jake and Stephanie and I all thought that was pretty funny when Brandon did that. So anyway, on Brandon's very last day of high school as we were on our way to drop him off I got some gum and handed him some and said "here ya go....breath boy'. Brandon laughed, of course.

Jake's letter

The school really went to special measures for us at Brandon's graduation. There were 4 or 5 kids who were graduating and had deployed fathers. The parents that remained were given front row seats; right next to the General. In addition to that, the school set up webpages so deployed parents were given a chance to view the graduation at the time that it occured. Inside Brandon's diploma cover was an envelope. It was a letter from Jake to Brandon and he was able to read the letter right after the ceremony. The above photo is Brandon reading the letter. I was totally impressed with it all. They really went to special measures to which we were very surprised by.

Protesting cake

Immediately after graduation, the graduates, parents and visitors were able to mingle out in the courtyard, offer congratulations and enjoy cake and punch to the beat of the loud chants outside..."1, 2, 3, 4, no more bases, no more wars....".

Brandon was interviewed by the TV station and the Army Newspaper. In his graduation speech he mentioned that his step father is deployed and so they rushed up to interview Brandon afterward. And in case anyone is wondering...yes, Jake read the article...he's the one who told me about it. You can read the article regarding the graduation here: http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=46612

"Cutest Couple"

Brandon and Jessie were voted 'cutest couple' for their senior class. Here they are after graduation when everyone was wandering around eating cake and having punch.

Protesting red cars

Yes this is my car, I was quite blocked in when trying to leave. We came out of this building at the far end that you see there and waded through the people to get to the car. Part of the group moved away though so we could get everyone in the car and that's when I took this photo. They could tell who we were by the cap and gown! The protesters were demonstrating against the United States Army Base and the war.

Prom 2007

At home before the prom.

Brandon's putting the flower on her wrist

The cute couple

Here there was a break from the rains and I could catch a quick photo. This was before they left for the prom. All the kids met at the Ederle Inn (post hotel) and then took a private bus to prom which was held at Villa Tacchi (I think that is the spelling), where they were served a nice dinner and had a DJ for their dance. I have never been to the prom location and I think it was about 30-40 minutes away.

Here Ann-Marie is trying to get Shakespeare to pose for a photo with Brandon in the front yard.