Our townhouse in Sicily!

Here's the townhouse we're moving into. More pictures to come next week . . . .

Sunday afternoon at Mt. Etna.

Mt. Etna is in Sicily, and it's Europe's most active volcano. Yesterday we went on a little hike and had a fun time exploring it. DJ asked me to post pictures of our day. He's been studying volcanos and has been excited about seeing Mt. Etna since before we even arrived in Italy.

Noah is in his element. He'll dig in dirt or volcanic ash any day!

Tom and DJ. It was chilly at the top!

DJ sitting on lava rock.

What happens when you live near an active volcano.

We took a ride in these cable cars up the volcano.

In the winter, you can go skiing at Mt. Etna. Can't wait.

Fun in the cable cars.

Lincoln liked the ride too!

After we played and explored the volcano, we stopped for some pizza and panini at a cute cafe.

Soccer season in Italy.

It's soccer season again! Love this time of the year. DJ has been playing soccer since he was in preschool. He's almost 8 now. Where has the time gone?! It has been fun watching him grow in his soccer skills over the years. Right now he's on a soccer team with other military kids. We'd like to see if there is also a team out in town that he can join. Here is DJ playing goalie, one of his favorite positions.

While DJ plays soccer, Noah hangs with his posse. Noah is sporting the red and blue Italian soccer jersey. There are about four little 2-3 year olds who hang together. It's pretty cute!

Sheep

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I could see kids in Sicily using this excuse. It's the funniest thing. We've only been here a few months so far, and it has happened several times. And it happened again last night. Sheep and their owner are walking down the road, and we have to wait until they pass before we continue driving. When we arrived here, we were briefed about this. If we hit one of their sheep, it's something like 100 euro to pay back. If it's one of their best sheep, they can sue for more. What a different world we're in!

Happy 3rd birthday, Noah!

Three years ago on September 11th, 2006, Noah Franklin Paudler was born at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. 

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And then he turned one . . .

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And then two . . .

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And three . . .

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Here he is celebrating in the morning with his Italian family.  Noah goes to Bina's house one morning a week for a little cultural lesson.  She's wonderful, and she only speaks Italian to the kids.  They live on a farm with chickens, a garden, and even a tortoise.  Bina gave him a truck for his birthday.  We brought cupcakes to share.

After dad got home from work and once DJ was home from school, we headed to Funny Island to continue the celebration.

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Happy birthday, Noah!  We love you!

Traveling on the weekends.

I can't believe we've been in Italy for two months.  We've been trying to go somewhere every weekend.  There is so much to see.  This past weekend we drove about an hour away to Siracusa to see the catacombs where Christians were buried in the 1st and 2nd centuries.  This is also where they believe the apostle Paul preached.  

My day off.

I'm posting these pictures to record a great memory and to say thank you to Tom.  :-)  He surprised me with a day/night to myself.  He sent me away while he stayed back at the Navy Lodge with the three boys.  I'm so thankful to him.  At first, I didn't want to spend the money on a hotel, etc., but the more I thought about it, the more I realized how much we'd ALL benefit if I could go away and spend some quiet time alone.  I'm one of those people who get my energy from time alone, but with three boys and living in a Navy Lodge for the past few months, it's been almost impossible. . . until yesterday when Tom dropped me off at a hotel in the hillside of Italy overlooking the water.  It was perfect.  The last picture is a view from my room.  Thank you, Tom!!