Florence

Florence is famous for its history and is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance. We traveled from Venice to Florence by high-speed train - the kids really enjoy train travel! In Florence we visited the Mercato di San Lorenzo, which some people know as the leather market. It is filled with leather purses, wallets, journals, coats, belts, and so much more. We enjoyed the food market there also. Food in the Tuscany region is so AMAZING! We saw Cathedral Santa Maria Novella, Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore, Ponte Vecchio Bridge, and Piazza Michelangelo. We enjoyed walking all over the city and stopping at different gelato places. On Christmas Day we took the train to Pisa to see the Leaning Tower.

Our Hotel

Garden at our Hotel

Our Hotel had a room that was filled with displays of the manger scene. 

Another manger scene.

Dining area in Hotel

Leather animal coin purses.

Leather bracelets 

Purses

Mercato di San Lorenzo

Mercato Centrale Food Court

Enjoying the delicious food!

Cathedral Santa Maria Novella

Styling their jackets they bought. 

Ponte Vecchio Bridge

Ponte Vecchio Bridge

Randy, Colin, Kaden & Abby at Ponte Vecchio Bridge

According to local legend in Florence, if you and your lover attach a lock to the gate surrounding the bust of famed goldsmith and sculptor Benvenuto Cellini, and throw the key into the Arno river below, your love will be eternal. It is suspected that the tradition in Florence was the brainchild of a locksmith, who had a shop on the Ponte Vecchio, not a bad idea if you think about it. In the past, the bridge was home to butchers and fishmongers, but today the only type of merchants allowed to have shops on the bridge are jewelers and goldsmiths.

Climbing up to Piazza Michelangelo.

Looking over the city of Florence from Piazza Michelangelo.

Looking over the city of Florence from Piazza Michelangelo.

Looking over the city of Florence from Piazza Michelangelo.

Michelangelo's famous David Statute. 

Gelato

We love our gelato!

We loved seeing all the windows decorated with Christmas goodies from the shops.

Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore

Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore

Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore

Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore

Streets all decorated for Christmas

Selfie!

Pisa

Pisa

Leaning Tower

Cathedral Square

Abby

Kaden

Selfie!

Piazza Della Signoria

Piazza Della Signoria

The Piazza del Mercato Nuovo is the site of this famous bronze statue of a wild boar, a symbol of Tuscany and tourist attraction. You are to put coins in his mouth and make a wish.

Abby showing her strength.

Christmas Dinner at La Buchetta. Absolutely amazing place!

Northwood Military Ball

We had the privilege to join our friends at their Winter Military Ball. The Peter Pan themed night consisted of food, pictures, games, photo booth fun, music and dancing.

Kristine & Adam Woodbury

Argh

The crew

One of many platters from the dessert table.

Let the music and dancing begin.

Stephanie, April & Kristine

The guys

The ladies

Stephanie & Albert, Randy & April, Kristine & Adam

Water, Masks & Glass

Over Christmas, we traveled to Venice, Italy. Immediately upon arriving we took a water taxi to the island which was much fun, even in the dark. The next morning we went to St. Mark's Square to visit the pigeons. When my brother was alive and stationed in Italy, he and his wife went to St. Mark's Square and he loved those dumb pigeons. After, we traveled by boat to Murano (another island) and watched how they made their beautiful glass creations. From sculptures to necklaces to little glass animals, they made it all. We had lunch in a little cafe there and met a nice military family from the US that were based in Turkey. We enjoyed the food and shopping around for masks. Every year Venice has "Carnavale di Venezia" which is an annual festival. The festival is world-renowned for its elaborate masks. Overall, we really enjoyed Venice and wished we would have stayed a few more days.

Over the Alps

Water Taxi

Water Taxi

Venice at night 

Venice at night

We found our hotel, it wasn't easy.

Beautiful streets with lights for Christmas.

St. Mark's Square

St. Mark's Square

St. Mark's Square

Colin at St. Mark's Square

Colin at St. Mark's Square

Abby at St. Mark's Square

St. Mark's Square

Randy, Kaden, Colin & Abby at St. Mark's Square

Canal in Venice

Venice

Venice

Looking at Murano Island.

Looking back at Venice from Murano.

Glass factory 

Murano Island

Glass sculpture on Murano.

Canal on Murano.

Mask Abby got.

Christmas lights in Venice.

April & Kaden 

Abby & Randy

Thanksgiving in London

We celebrated Thanksgiving on a Saturday this year instead of our traditional Thursday timing in the States. Thanksgiving, as we have traditionally known it, involves house guests with our great friends and their four kids traveling down from Cedar Falls on Wednesday night and staying through Saturday. The schedule of events doesn't vary much and includes: a movie or Disney on Ice, a fine turkey dinner, the strike team attacking Black Friday shopping, game playing and lots of noise from seven kids enjoying their time together. So this year, we greatly missed our friends...many of the traditional foods...and of course the Black Friday shopping!
However we did get to celebrate and enjoy a fine meal with another American family that we have become close to. Also, Randy and I managed to do a little shopping here that Friday since the kids were in school. The kids tried VERY hard to convince me that they were American and should celebrate by staying home. :)

Wishbone

"Stronger muscles wins"

Food

Kids all ready to eat.

Adam & Kristine Woodbury

Randy & April Woodbury

Britain Cracker Tradition