Halloween

Anyone who knows me knows I hate Halloween. I don't like dressing up and find the holiday to be a chore in general. It has only gotten slightly better now that I have a child. Well I had forgotten about getting a new costume for Olivia this year and realized too late that O has grown tremendously this year. We managed to squeeze her in the same costume as last year-a lady bug. But I promise next year I will do better for her when she is 3 years old.
Below are pics from Halloween on the base in Spain. It was psychotic. The Spanish were out before the scheduled time wandering and waiting for the Americans to come out with candy. Trick-or-Treating was scheduled for 6-8pm. We went over to our neighbor's home to hand out candy with them and some other friends. We had a combined total of 40 bags. We ran out of candy at 6:55pm...an hour before it was supposed to end. 40 bags. Gone. I have never in my life seen so many people out. That being said, it was an amazing experience. So fun and wonderful to interact with the Spanish military and their families (and many friends they brought with them). Next year it will be our turn to take O out and about.


Olivia as a super cool lady bug. She insisted on the sunglasses.


O practicing her trick-or-treating skills for next year. She just kept grabbing candy and putting it in her bag.


O is as amazed as we were at the crowds.


A small taste of our street when it started. That blue car on the left is our "Rota Beater." Everyone buys one when they get here as a get-around-the-base car. Others choose to buy old BMW's, Justin chose to buy a 1997 Peugeot Wagon. Awful.


Getting ready for the onslaught. Ben, the man on the carport roof, is the Public Affairs Officer for the base so he was up there getting good shots for the base facebook page and the local newspaper. My father-in-law John is already amazed by the crowds.


Just one phase of the crowds of people that came up. I said, "Uno por favor" ("one please") for a straight hour.

Olivia's favorite toy

Everyday, in the afternoon, Olivia heads outside, puts on her helmet and gets on her very favorite toy. She could be on this for hours if we let her. It's her new tricycle. We had been thinking of getting one for her in the summer and then her Aunt Sarah and Uncle Aaron asked if they could get it for her birthday. Win-win! We went to our Navy exchange and they had the classic red Radio Flyer tricycle that is perfect for her. We got it, put it together after we got home from Illinois, and presented it to her one afternoon when she got up from her nap. She was so happy when she saw it and hopped on it immediately. And had no problems wearing the helmet. She loves this tricycle and asks about 3-4 times a day to ride it on the back patio. She even learned very quickly how to pedal and turn!




She wasted no time.

Navy Ball

At the end of October, we attended the Navy Ball here in Rota. It was a great time and a chance to get all dolled up. Everyone wore dress uniform and Justin wore his Navy tuxedo. All the ladies wear floor length gowns. It was held at the Hotel Playa de La Luz on the beach. An awesome location as cocktail hour was at sunset.


A picture of the hotel.

Justin before we left. He feels like a double agent in his Navy tux.


Me and some friends in front of the elementary school waiting for the shuttle to take us to the hotel.


A pic of us at sunset during cocktail hour.


The boys. Leave it to the military men to stand in perfect formation in a picture.

Group shot with many of our friends here.


Me and my friend and neighbor Rachel.

Me and my other friend and neighbor Alicia. (Drew's mom if you have read previous posts.)


Tearing it up on the dance floor. This was nearing the end of the night.

October in Spain

When we got back from Illinois, we unfortunately had to say good-bye to one of our close friends. We met Jeff in July while he was on a deployment to Spain. We all quickly realized that we had a lot in common and really got along well. So much so that Jeff came over many nights a week after that for dinner and PS3 with Justin and stayed on the weekends with us as well. We nicknamed our guest room Jeff's room and joked that others had to get approval through him first to stay there. He also was a tremendous help to me by entertaining Olivia constantly and genuinely having fun with her. He really became my "manny." The very hard thing I have learned about the military is meeting great people, forging close friendships and then inevitably somebody leaving. Luckily, we all will meet up eventually in other places or we just plan on visiting each other when we can. I have posted some pics we took the night before Jeff left. We threw him a surprise going away party with some of our closest friends here. They loved Jeff as well.


Here is the crew we hang out with here in Rota. A GREAT group of people!! Living here has become very fun now. L-R: Riley, Jeff, the Tisdales (Ben, Rachel and baby Caroline), Jaime and Todd Kline (preggers with twins), the Boyds, the Olsens (Alicia and baby Claire, Andy and their son Drew).



Us and Jeff. Had to take a "family" picture. As you can see, O is very upset about him leaving.

O and her manny. Please excuse my daughter's pajamas. We had forgotten they had not taken a pic together yet and took this before she went to bed.

Justin is in a softball league on base so here is a shot of him at bat.


Getting ready for the pitch.

Kuna Wedding

The reason we went to Illinois in October was because of one of my greatest friend's weddings. Rachel Lukawski-Kuna was a wonderful woman I met in my sorority in college. We became close friends our junior and senior year and spent many hours together in the sorority house discussing our lives, our futures, etc...When we graduated from college we continued to be close as we both lived in Chicago. But there is more to why I love this woman. She introduced Justin and me our senior year. She knew we would be a good match (even though I was hesitant) and continued to push for us to hang out. She convinced me to ask Justin to one of our sorority functions and well....the rest is history! Both Justin and I have Rachel to thank for the marriage and families we both now have. In fact, Justin and Rachel have been longer friends than she and I have and represented us both when she stood up at our wedding. Unfortunately, both Rach and I have not been able to see each other in years due to work, moving, etc... so when she asked us to come to her wedding, we jumped at the chance to share in her day as she shared in ours! Lots of pics on this post!


The happy reunion after at least 4 years of not seeing each other.


The three Zeta amigos. All three of us spent many hours together talking and laughing in our rooms in the sorority house. Me, Rachel and Katie.


Going out on Friday night before the wedding. We all rented houses at the Galena resort where the reception was held. Jen, me and Katie.


The girl we have to thank for bringing Justin and me together.


Katie's husband Brian and Justin await the start of the ceremony...


as do me and Katie.


Justin and me at the reception.


Us and the Fultons at the reception.


Had to post this one. After the reception we all went back to one house to continue the celebration and Justin was playing the guitar to a song with badminton rackets we had found.


The boys rocking out to a song at the reception.


All the Zetas together for a picture with the beautiful bride!


A pose during the reception.


One of the greatest pics my friend sent me. This picture is a exactly how us three always are when we are together!!


Not sure what song it was but apparently we liked it!


Nearing the end of the night.

October in Illinois

We were lucky enough to get home and visit with some family and many of our friends at the beginning of October. It was one of the most relaxing vacations we have had in a long time. We purposely chose not to pack our schedule and just took some time to catch up on sleep and catch up with people we have not seen in a LONG time. We spent a few weeks in central Illinois, attended one of my greatest friend's weddings (the one that introduced Justin and me), and spent a whirlwind few days back in Virginia with some friends on our way back to Spain. We flew for free both ways on a space available flight through the military. We took off from the terminal on our base (exactly 7 minutes from our house) and landed in Dover, DE. And then repeated that flight back home. Our flight was on a C-5 both ways. I have mentioned before how ginormous this plane is but you cannot do it justice until you actually stand next to one, climb a steep ladder inside the cargo hold to the top while passing two blackhawk helicopters that will will be flying with you. Insane. But it was FREE!! Totally worth it for the price. Below are some pics from when my friends the Hills and Fultons came down to visit us in Bloomington. I will sheepishly admit that most if not all of these photos were taken from my friend Katie's blog as she took way more pics than I did that day. So if you look at her blog at all...sorry, this is a repeat:)


The whole group catching up while the kids play.


Reading a book to some cute little ladies.


Kristine playing the "drum" with Olivia and her daughter Natalie.


Olivia eating Avanti's with Hayden and Alaric.


The rest of us eating at the "big kid table."


Ryan and Justin scheming as usual.


Me and my girl hamming it up.


All the kids together on the couch. As you can tell, it was hard to get them all to smile and/or pay attention.


Olivia acting goofy for the camera.


Kristine, me and Katie. Some of the greatest friends I could ever ask for.


Olivia, of course, got sick of taking pics and this was the shot we took as she was wresting her way out of my arms.

Out with friends

We have been lucky enough to have found a great group of friends here in Rota. It took awhile but our street is now filled with really young families and just all around great people! In addition, we have found a great friend, Jeff, that just happened to be deployed here for a little while. Unfortunately, he is leaving at the end of October but has promised us he will try to come back and visit. We all planned a night out together last month in the neighboring town. Everyone who has kids got baby-sitters and we put on our best dress. Here are some pics from the night.


Justin and Jeff playing some PS3 at our house and before we went out. O is waiting to go to sleep.


The guys enjoying some vino and tapas at one of the bars. From left: Jeff, Justin, Riley and Andy.


My great friends Alicia and Riley. They are both from Iowa so they had to sit and reminisce together at the table.

Enjoying the night with friends.

Nothing says "Spain" more than finding the Irish Pub in town and doing an "Irish Car Bomb."
Justin won as always.

Somehow we managed to find some Japanese tourists that night. Our friend Jeff had to take some pics with them while Justin proceeded to whip out his Japanese language skills and hold a conversation with them. As you can imagine, this was towards the end of the night.