Fisher Family Vacation 2013

Yes...it's time to begin planning our next "Two Week" vacation! Now of course Rich and I know where we will go...but the kid's DO NOT. How much fun can we have with this? Well just wait and see.
Rich will be giving each Family one clue a Month and of course there are rules, keep reading...
         "The Destination Game"
Each Family will receive one clue on the first day of each month-
You may NOT ask anyone for help-
You will have 24 hours to submit your guess-
Only one guess Per Couple Per Month-
We wish you luck
The next vacation had to be changed a bit, since Rich will be in Afghanistan until the end of August; we had to change the month to September. Of course I had to run this by Craig and Trista since it will effect the beginning of the new school year for Shealynn and Brady. It's a good thing our trips are educational!
It's going to be an exciting year with a lot of new changes, I think it will be interesting for me to attempt to pull this all off! I'll just need to try to keep focused on "one day at a time" after all- it's just another move with a deployment. Aye...another example of why you should never say never. 

It's Almost 2012

I know it's been a long time since I've written in my Blog; however in my defense I've been very sick! I still have a bit of a cough but not like earlier. Being sick for my most favorite time of the year was terrible! Rich and I missed out on all the party's and get-together s. Every year we Host a Christmas Eve Dinner and invite the Marines...however this year there was an "incident" two days prior and our Marines were placed on lock-down. We ended up having a more interment dinner for five which turned out to be a wonderfully relaxed evening for all.
We didn't get to Skype with the kids this year; Chris had duty over Christmas, so he and Marissa took Charlotte to experience Christmas with snow a bit early at their favorite camp in Big Bear! NO Wi-Fi to Skype but they did take lots of pictures for us.
Craig and Trista had just moved into their new house and couldn't locate their Motum...but we were able to talk with everyone on the phone.
Corey stayed in Va. this year visiting with friends; I think it's a bit difficult for the boys not to be able to get together for Christmas but they at least were able to talk!
We have just two more days until we begin 2012. I have mixed emotions about Celebrating this year, half of me wants to get it over with and the other half would like to skip to 2013! Here's hoping that Richard's year in Afghanistan will be Safe and Quick!!

Home

After a Wonderful vacation we made it home safely late Monday night. I plan to post pictures as soon as Rich gets a moment to download them, he was back to work Tuesday morning and last night we had a "Farewell Dinner" to attend. Tonight- we're off to pick up Mikey!
While we were gone, we missed the Onion Festival...a bit sad about that since it was so much fun last year. The good news is that the Christmas Markets are open and I "ALWAYS" love going to them. Rich and I are hoping to attend the Nuremberg Market this year.
As with every vacation- we came home to several messages and Rich had a pile of work and e-mails to go through; reality sat back in last night as he told me about the "5" e-mails from Afghanistan. They we all about classes and final preparations to complete before his departure..... "I don't want to talk about that right now"
The fun pictures we received were of Charlotte eating her First Thanksgiving Dinner..soooo funny! We could tell that she really loved/enjoyed her meal!!! AND....we got a video of her 9 month little self  WALKING! She was so cute and reminded me so much of her Daddy; I just cried and kept watching it over and over. In MY MIND, it doesn't seem so long ago when Rich and I were dancing to the little footsteps of our boy's day to day- now to watch them making their way and attaining their own Families and Dreams...."It's just an incredible gift for us"
Craig, Chris, and Corey; We love you so very much and we're so grateful to have each one of you to call "OUR SON'S" 
Our Family is what we're Thankful for EVERY DAY.

Our Trip

We will begin by spending the night in Rome. While there we will tour the Vatican, coliseum, Rome at twilight and the underground. The next morning we will begin our {10 Night Eastern Mediterranean Cruse on the Celebrity Equinox}
Our ports of call will be:
Sicily [Messina}Italy
Valletta Malta
Crete Greece
Rhodes Greece
Ephesus Turkey
Athens Greece 
Naples Italy
We're both excited about the trip-we'll be able to explore and just spend some uninterrupted time together. Perhaps I should make a list of things to talk about...although I'm sure Rich would tell you that I'm never at a loss for words! LOL
Seriously though, it's going to be wonderful to "run away together" As you can see by the dates, we'll be gone during Thanksgiving this year but I'll survive not preparing a large dinner- although we will miss being with family. "Thank you Linda and Chris for your wonderful invitation. I know you'll both enjoy a wonderful weekend with Chris, Amy and Johna!
Another piece of exciting news: My childhood friend Betti will be coming to Switzerland in April, for a LONG overdue visit!!! Like most of our Graduating class, Betti and I spent all of our school years together from First grade! Like most small towns; by the time we hit 6th grade we were more like "brothers and sisters" Anyway, Betti secured her ticket last night. I'm just so excited and will try to have everything planned before she gets here!

Happy November

Now before I tell you about "this" month, lets address "last" month; {Yesterday} to be specific.. What in the world is America becoming? What is going on? Did they put something in your Fruit Loops?? CHANGING-CANCELLING Halloween for a more "convenient" Day??? Are you kidding me!!?? Well why don't we just change the whole calendar... And go ahead and add years while your at it! {That way I can be 21 again} Let's see.... "this day just doesn't seem to be working out, it's a bit inconvenient for a lot of people, so let's just change it to next week" 
Gosh, I remember when I was younger, if someone had told me that Halloween was off..I would have been crushed; LOL We always had such a good time, and if there was school the next day- all the better! Does anyone remember stuffing their pockets with candy and trying to sneak a piece in class? Growing up in Maine I can tell you that we've experienced Halloween with tons of snow on the ground.. that was when we would add layers and pillows to our Hobo Costume after all; we couldn't wear a coat over our hard work of putting everything together! It was always an added bonus if the power went out. Everything just felt more scary...we would place our lit up pumpkins on the front porch and my Mother would light the house with candles and gasoline lanterns. As for Trick Or Treating? Well, we would grab a flashlight and be on our way!
I hope everyone enjoyed their All Hallows Eve.
Now on to November, I think this will be another quickly passing Month. Rich and I will be taking a "much welcomed" Vacation; which I will tell you about tomorrow. This weekend we will be attending the Marine Corps Ball. This event is always a wonderful evening and we always look forward to the celebration, I should also mention that the MC for this year is Richard!!  I could say that I'm looking forward to watching him attempt to pull this off; however in reality, I know he'll do an "incredible" job!! My cousin Linda and her husband Chris will arrive to join us this year- so I know it will be a very fun evening!

Corey

We received word last night that Corey has Accepted a Job with the:
Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Ashborn Va. as a Research Assistant in Electron Micro Graphs. You can check out the Institute at:"www.hhmi.org" It's a very impressive Medical institute where Corey will not only have the ability to study what he loves; but will also meet world renowned scientist from all over....{the best and the brightest in the field}!! Oh, another "perk" if you will, of the job is that they will pay Ten Thousand Dollars a year toward his Grad School!! Needless to say, Corey is on Cloud Nine; and we are all right there with him! He begins his new job on Monday and has promised to call and tell all- so I will keep you up to date.
We were able to Skype with Craig, Trista and the kid's Sunday evening {for us, morning for them} Their all doing fine with the new School year and Trista is doing well with the pregnancy, Reese is expected in January. I wonder if she'll be another double of Craig?.
Chris and Marissa are doing well, we are still waiting on pictures of their reconstructed living room; however last evening Rich and I received a Tex message- it was a video of Charlotte "WALKING" to her Daddy attended by a toy. Of course I only watched it about 12 times and might have shed a tear or two....she's just growing up so fast {for me anyway}.
This weekend is once again the Chestnut Festival-

With 270 stands, 35'000 visitors and 7 tons of chestnuts eaten in two days, the Fête de la Châtaigne has become, in only a few years, one of the most popular events of the autumn in Valais. It takes place every year, the week-end following the end of the famous Foire du Valais in nearby Martigny. Magic recipe A varied open air market of 270 stands, the Wine Village of Fully Grand Cru and 6 chestnut-corners to taste the famous “brisolée” (chestnuts grilled over a fire), are the basic ingredients. Spice it up with some guided visits, free excursions, concerts, entertainment for children and adults and you will have the magic recipe of this major event. In 2010, Fully will host the 16th edition of the Fête de la Châtaigne, but the love story between Fully and this tasteful fruit has lasted for about 800 years…

So, if your in the area- this Festival should be placed on your "to-do-list"

October

Does anyone else feel the "end of the year" picking up speed? Wow, it's almost Mid October, Halloween is almost here, Thanksgiving is just around the corner and we're only 80 days from Christmas!! In fact- we are already receiving notices of "Deadline Dates" for mailing Christmas gifts to arrive in time Stateside.
Weather wise; it's getting much cooler now. Living in Europe also means that you do not get your heat turned on until the temperature has been below 60 for 5 consecutive days. So the smell of wood fires in the evening and early mornings are becoming a welcomed aroma. One that many of us grew up with in New England. "Come on SNOW!!!"
This weekend will bring the "Official" beginning of the Holidays {at least for the Military living in Europe}, The Holiday Bazaar in Heidelberg. Rich and I attended last year and I purchased absolutely nothing, perhaps this year will be more productive. We have already decided what to get the kids...I'll tell you all about it AFTER December 25th LOL.
Our Calendar seems to be filling up quickly for the next three months. In fact I called my cousin Linda the other day and we went through "daily books" to ensure we would save time to get together. Although we're in the same part of the world- we are still "overnight" visitors...but it's like a pajama party whenever we get together!! Oh,... maybe this time we'll freeze the guys underwear! {always fun times}