Watch our Hannah and Aaron...there is a new LAX player in town!

As he always has looked up to his cousins, Cole is carrying on in the tradition of their awesome Lacrosse skills!  Although too young to play on an organized team, Cole signed up for the Fall Lacrosse Clinic through BSA.  It only goes on for 6 weeks, but he has quickly learned that it is something he loves and wants to keep up with. 

Is Felix Baumgartner nuts?!

On October 14th, Jason casually said to me..."Have you heard about this guy who is free-fall jumping from Space trying to break the sound barrier?"  Of course we had to watch.  We have a SlingBox that gives us TV from the US, but we were really surprised to hear that, even though this guy's jump was history in the making, none of the major television stations covered it.  Thank you, Steve Jobs for Apple TV!  

We were riveted to the television as Felix Baumgartner was lifted into the stratosphere in a pod by a helium balloon.  The climb took over three hours.  All of us stayed glued to the TV and then our palms started to sweat as he gave his final checks, the pod door opened, and he jumped to Earth.  He ended up setting the altitude record for a manned balloon flight, parachute jump from the highest altitude, and greatest free fall velocity.

EVERYONE ON THE EDGE OF THEIR SEATS

FINAL CHECKS

THE POD DOOR OPENS...

STANDING ON THE EDGE...READY TO JUMP...

THERE HE GOES...

 As we were watching him free fall to Earth, Jason and I were talking amongst ourselves and mentioned what we were going to do if something went majorly wrong.  The kids had their eyes glued to the TV.  I started to really worry when he started to spin out of control and did not seem to know how to get out of it.  He stopped the spinning and released his parachute.  I think Jason and I collectively breathed a sigh of relief just as the kids started to jump and cheer.  We were all thankful when his feet hit the ground.  Congrats to you, Felix Baumgartner!  Thanks for letting us in on your history in the making!

TOUCHDOWN!  THANK GOODNESS!!

Mirror, mirror on the wall...

...I am my Daddy after all!

There is something to be said for your kids following in your footsteps.  I guess Piper is so used to seeing Jason with the broom in hand that she thought she would go ahead and lend him a hand.  She is so inventive too...that is my pot scrubber she is using as a broom!

St. John's International Festival

MY BACKDROP 

OUR "FLAG HOLDER"

Every year at the school the kids go to put on an International Festival.  This year, over 28 countries were represented.  There are festivities to fill up an entire day that is capped off by an evening parade and food and drinks from every country represented.  Jason likes to laugh and say that every school function includes alcohol.  Vodka from the Russians, Irish Coffee from Ireland, Champagne from France, Margaritas from Latin America, etc...take your pick.  I must say that even though I thought it would be tough to hand out MGD and Budweiser in the "land of over 300" beers, but I guess when its free people don't really care.  The Sam Adams was a hit and people kept coming back for more!  

The theme for the US was "Take Me Out To The Ballgame".  I made the backdrop for our booth.  We were Red, White and Blue decked out.  Each country paraded in, Olympics style, and Liv got to be the sign holder for our country.  As a special treat St. John's had a live feed on the Internet so Nana, Papa and Aunt Gina got to see the parade live.  Good times were had by all!

St. John's International Festival - 2012 - slideshow maker

Road trip to the Commissary

I signed up to help out on the committee for the International Festival that is held every year at St. John's.  Each country that is represented has a booth where they provide food and drinks from their country.  The issue...how do you get American.  There is a United States Air Force airfield located in the Belgian town of Chievres.  It is about an hour, or so, drive from Waterloo.  The only male member of the AWCB is retired military who regularly takes people, even though he probably shouldn't, for a trip to the Commissary.   

What can I say...the Commissary is definitely an experience!  Who knew that seeing all of the stuff could bring a tear to my eye.  What is it about a light-up deer in the Christmas decoration section that could bring a grown woman to her knees?!  In the US, you probably wouldn't see one of those in my yard.  Here...bring..it..on!  Don't worry.  I resisted.  Any-who...we shopped until we dropped and then we even stopped off at the food court and had a very nutritional lunch at non other than...Burger King! Piper was excited to get her Kid's Meal and thought she hit the gold mine with her shark fin headband.

NOW THAT IS SOME GROCERY LOADING!

WE DID SAVE ROOM FOR PIPER

$600 later...this was the Martin's haul.  The best part came after I unloaded everything...by myself...and found a place for everything in my teeny-tiny cupboards Cole came home from school and asked if we had any leftovers from Burger King...TYPICAL!  I also noticed that my fridge was virtually empty after unloading the haul.  Nothing was fresh.  We Americans eat like crap, but we sure do enjoy it, right?!

FOR BIG DADDY

FOR LIVY-LOU

The Caravelle arrives!

Well...you have met Vito.  Now it is time to meet....da, da, da,da....the Caravelle!  The Vito was just a rental until the Caravelle arrived.  While most people drive "little shoes" around here, I drive....what probably is considered a semi!

I don't know if I explained when I first introduced you to the Vito way back in the beginning, but purchasing a car around here is somewhat different...go figure - add it to the list!  They don't really keep a lot of cars in inventory.  You actually go in and "build" your car.  Then...you wait...and wait...and wait...and..get the picture?!  Surprisingly, the Caravelle arrived AHEAD of schedule.  We thought that we wouldn't get it until around Thanksgiving.  

We still have yet to name it.  Vito was just so easy, after all.  It was a Mercedes Vito, so it's name...Vito...duh!  The kids thought that it might be a good idea to show a little Penn State pride and name it Nittany because it is navy blue.  They have already began to call it Nittany, so I am thinking when we go home for the holidays we might just have to pick up some paw-print magnets to adorn him.  The jury is still out, but it is swinging heavily to one side:)

I just had to add this picture.  This is what happened when Piper rode in Nittany for the first time, Daddy had installed her carseat, and Mommy makes a turn into the driveway.  I am thinking it was wrong...anybody else?  The funny part?  When she saw the camera come out...all smiles!  Have no fear, it is installed properly now:)

Happy 7th Birthday, Liv

MISS BIRTHDAY GIRL

Liv celebrated her GOLDEN BIRTHDAY this year.  She was 7 on the 7th!  It turned out to be a Sunday, so we had a nice family day at home.  One of our good friends was in town, Gretchen Cannon.  She came over for dinner.  What better dinner to have other then Liv's favorite...Spaghetti!

We finished out the evening by singing Happy Birthday and had cake and ice cream.  Thanks to Gretchen and Mary-Benning for all of the great school/teacher supplies.  Liv is having a blast playing in her classroom...er...bedroom!

SO GLAD GRETCHEN COULD CELEBRATE WITH US!