LOOK at us! We can look like Santa!

What is it with kids and bubbles?

Look at me!

Santa brought Alessandra a new scooter. Since it rained ALL day Christmas Day (and the day after) she got to check out her new "ride" in the house.... here she is...

Christmas Eve 2009

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

This year for Christmas Eve we had our good friends the Colvig's over. It must now be a tradition, because we have now spent it together for 2 years in a row. Woohoo! Here is our most recent family photo - and YES, it was that nice on Christmas Eve here (which was good, because it rained for the next 2 days).

The Family Colvig - Cooper, Nicole, Caden and Cameron

"Up on the rooftop" Kids and Dads making the correct placement of the chemlights and reindeer food, to ensure a safe landing for Santa.

Did I post this yet?

I know, I know... long time, no blog. I am on it. I have about 6 of them on here that I need to finish up and then I should be updated before the new year. THANKS for your patience.

I don't think I put this photo of Brad and I on here yet. We did have another ball late in November that we attended. A good time was had by all... (always think its nice to let you know that we do, in fact, dress up from time to time) :)

Olivia's Christmas Around the World

In Olivia's class (for the last day of school) Ms. Cornett organized a "Christmas Around the World" party. Another thanks goes out to all of the wonderful teachers in the world who decide that the parent's also need more homework the last week of school! (only kidding... sort of). In truth, the turn out was wonderful. Her class is home to 20 First and Second Graders (aka Multiage) and they were very excited about the party. I think 7 parents turned out to represent a country and the kids took their "tickets" to each country for a visit. It was a lot of fun.

Here they are in Mexico - making pinatas

El Salvador - playing a game

Cookie Time! Some smiling... some not...

Olivia with Makenzie... or Makela... not sure which, they are quite identical....

Alessandra's Holiday Spirit

Alessandra's school (East-West Montessori) puts on a cute holiday show every year on the last day of school before winter break. This year, little mighty has moved up to a "big kid" classroom of 3-6 year olds. She did a good job hangin in there and liked to practice at home (although told me a number of times that my version of "donde esta Santa Claus" was not the right one). Here she is with the other cute girlies in her class.

And the last 2 are photos with Sophia - we love Sophia.

Oh, yes. And video version too. Sorry it is so wobbly, I took it on my handheld camera and tried to zoom in... sort of cruddy, but hopefully you will enjoy it anyway!

Karate Kid's Kristmas

We had our holiday party last week for the Dojo. Always a good time with lots of food, fun and entertainment. A few good shots...

Mommy with "small but mighty" on her lap. Cheesy kid.

More cheese from Olivia and her buddy Marisa (her first friend in Okinawa)

Alessandra with Santa. After the event, Olivia determined that he must have taken off the long beard for here because it is so much hotter in Okinawa.

Olivia with Santa

The Worlds Greatest Birthday Party

November is a particularly busy month. Yes, you have Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving... however, for the Marines, there is nothing more potent than the birth of their Corps. The United States Marine Corps Birthday.

The Marine Corps Birthday is celebrated all over the world by Marines in many different ways (almost all including a slice of cake - what could be better?) and recognizing the Service that they are a part of and its intense history.

Another way to celebrate is with the fancy Marine Corps Birthday Ball. A formal event where pomp and circumstance is in high regard. Complete with ceremony, cake, guest of honor and words from the Commandant and SgtMaj of the Marine Corps. A night out to celebrate with your comrades at arms (and their great spouses).

This year we had the honor of taking Joe and Ruth (aka Dad and Ruth) with us to the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Officer's Ball. Below are some of the nice shots we took over the course of the evening.

Brad with his Dad and his CO Colonel Ted Banta

A cute family shot (we were going to get professional photos done,but the photographer wasn't there, so we all started taking our own)

My friend Kristal and I (karate and school mom, I don't think we have ever been at a function dressed up and without a kid attached).

The S-3 nice people - Brad's office...

Carrie (aka The Chaplain's Wife) and I

Mary and Sean (aka the XO and his wife)

Ted and Molly (aka the CO and his wife)

General Fox with Joe and Ruth

General Fox with Joe and Brad

The hazy jet-lagged couple that made it through the evening with smiles on their faces.

Happy Birthday Marines, Semper Fidelis.

A visit with the Grandparents Aiello - Part 1

I love visitors. It's no secret here in Okinawa, that having visitor's means going on hiatus from your "normal" and showing them as many wonderful things about this island that you can in the time that you are given.

Brad's Dad and Stemother came to visit last week (aka Joe and Ruth or Grandfather and Granny). They flew in from New York for a week long stay before they made their way over to China for another tour (they are still there now!).

The first day in town they had PERFECT weather and we had to start of right by taking them to our favorite place in town, Daisy's. A good dinner, a cold beer and a gorgeous sunset.

Olivia and Alessandra took the camera and some shots of the evening. Here is Alessandra up on the seawall - how I love Okinawa in November!

And a shot of the Daisy's sign. I love it from their perspective.

Joe's comment at the end of the day "so, this Okinawa place isn't such a hardship is it?"

Take a moment, please!

Please take a moment for me today. My Uncle Bill has been battling Parkinson's Disease for the past 17 years. This disease has taken quite a toll on his body and mind, and unfortunately his smile!



Please vote for him to win a dental makeover so he can continue smiling BIG and touch the lives of those around him!

THANKS!

Link to the site for voting:
http://www.1800dentist.com/my-smile-bites/william-p-concinnati-oh-dentist-fall09

Happy Halloween

Halloween started off sticky for us this year. Here are the girls (and Brad) working on pumpkin carving. He turned out cute (and I forgot to take a photo of the finished orange globe head.. sorry)

Determined Olivia

Alessandra pointing out that the pumpkin is missing a tooth just like Olivia

Trick-or-Treat happens on base, so the Colvig's invited us over for their annual "chili and trick-or-treat night" fun so off we went!

Here are Cleopatra and Supergirl gearing up!

This is my favorite photo of our little costumed kidlets

Here's the whole gang almost ready to depart

AND, here is the beginning of trick-or-treat - rainy.

Post Rain Cleopatra

And Supergirl (whose boots just kept sliding more and more down all night).
She loved it though - ran from house to house.

Night of TREATS! YUM!

Singapore - Part 1

The past couple of weeks has rushed by in a bit of a blur. After karate testing, the girls and I geared up for our trip to Singapore. Pretty exciting stuff!

The participants in this excusion were Olivia, Alessandra and I, and our travel buddies Nicole, Cooper and Caden (Olivia refers to them as her "boyfriends" but in the "boy and a friend" way...)

We departed from Naha, Okinawa around noon on Wednesday, flew north to Tokyo, connected and flew onto Singapore (en route flying directly back over Okinawa... that part was a tad bit painful).

Here is Alessandra around 10:00pm when the airline served us Haagen-Daas. You gotta love Japanese Airlines.

We got into Singapore around 11:30pm. Got our luggage, exchanged some money and blew through customs. We hired a Maxi-Cab (a van) to take us to our hotel. We made it safe and sound, got checked in and into our beds.... ahhhh.

We stayed at the Sentosa Resort and Spa (on Sentosa Island, a small little island basically connected to Singapore).

Here are the kiddos on the walkway behind our hotel that takes us down to the beach area...

Olivia on the beach tram.

The following photos are of this plaquard that we found on Sentosa. Caden wanted his photo taken, so everyone else followed suit. Made me laugh...

Caden

Alessandra

Cooper

Olivia

On that first day we basically got our surroundings figured out and stayed on Sentosa (until dinner anyway) and one of our highlights was taking the Tiger Tower up and checking out the skyline...

(actually this shot is from our hotel...)

Olivia over Singapore...

The gang at our hotel. :)

The kids in conference with fearless leader Cooper.

Much more to come...