Independence day

Last week we went to the beach in Lignano, Italy. Sterling had to work at 2pm however we were able to drive up there, enjoy the beach and get home in time for Ster to get ready for work.

Tiberias had been to a beach one time before that...last Summer on our cruise when we stopped in Greece. This time, Ty's second time, was much more a beach experience. The Greece beach had been rocky whereas the Lignano beach was sandy.
Ty didn't like the feel of the sand, no surprise (he doesn't care for playing in sand boxes) but quickly got use to it. He didn't like the water at first. It was cold water but the air was hot. He eventually got over his dislike of the water and was soon having as much fun and Luke.
It was an amazing beach morning. We ate snacks and played in the water. We made a sand castle. Luke had been asking to go to the beach for a while so he was in heaven.

Monday (yesterday) Sterling got the day off of work. He was helping some military members (a young couple) get married to each other. Sterling was to be the translator for the wedding ceremony.
Sterling offered my photography and cake decorating skills for a small cost to which they accepted. I was excited! I kept praying for help to make the cake beautiful and the portraits perfect. I love doing what I do but I still get nervous because I'm not perfect at either skill.

Monday we got a friend to bring her kids over to our house and babysit our children. We dressed up for the wedding and then received a call from the bride and groom shortly before the ceremony time. They were stuck on the military base. A bomb threat had shut the base down. They had been trapped in the BX for some time. Eventually the people were allowed to leave the BX but could not go to their cars in the parking lot. So the bride and groom walked over to the Shoppette and waited for us to come. Two other friends of the bride and groom arrived. We were all together and Ster and I were the only ones dressed up! The time came to go have the ceremony and still the bride and groom were not allowed to go get their wedding clothes out of their cars. So we call carpooled to the court house in Aviano, Italy.

The Mayor unfortunately was unavailable so the city recorder was the one to marry the young couple. It was a little legal ceremony in a business room. Sterling translated for the ceremony. The recorder read to them a thing about the responsibilities they take on as a married couple, in their family and in the community. It was no where near romantic as Mormon temple wedding words and responsibilities.
Sterling, the bride and groom, the recorder and the witnesses all signed a record that will stay in the Aviano Court House forever. Pretty cool.

We took a few pictures then went back to the base. Sterling and I then went to Subway and had lunch without the kids. It was really nice.
That evening we got Raquel Stevens (our normal babysitter) and left the kids again. We went to do portraits of the bride and groom. The cake I transported on my lap and it was a 25ish minute drive...that was not easy. Wedding cakes are heavy. This one was small...one two levels. It turned out beautiful but once we put it together it started slanting! The same problem I had when I made Alissa's wedding cake a few years ago. I will look online and see if I can learn to prevent that from happening.
We put the cake in the restaurant where the reception was going to be. The waiters put the cake in their fridge. We walked from there just down the street to the town square for portraits. The church there was gorgeous! We did the wedding portraits and they turned out beautiful, thankfully!

We went back to the restaurant for dinner. The other guests were really late so Ster, myself and the bride and groom ate without the rest of the party. We had a lot of fun. The couple who wedd are kind to each other and fun and interesting. They love traveling and don't want to move back to America. Most Americans want to move back to the states! Many even hate traveling because they don't like change or trying new things.

The bride, Megan, asked us for wedding advice. I was going to say "Put your spouse before yourself" but Sterling said his first and it covered my advice. He said that it is just as important what you don't say to each other as what you do say. I mess things up a lot, break stuff, etc. And Sterling doesn't have to tell me I did wrong because I know. He holds his tongue and it makes me feel better! I added to that saying "It really helps if when you do have to say something to your spouse that will possibly hurt them, you take a few days to try and find the kindest way to say it." Even if I take a few days and can't find a nice way to say it seems to be less hurtful when I do say it because I've taken the time to think about it and so he can see how sincerely I don't want to hurt him when I do say it.

It was a wonderful day with two dates for us! lol. We've never left the kids with a sitter twice in one day before.

Today Sterling took our little family on a hike. We went up to the Chrome dome (not far from home). We hiked and had a great time. There was a friendly little dog roaming around the area and he kept with us the whole hike. The boys loved it! It made Sterling and I decide to get the boys a dog once we're done with most of our traveling. If we move to American next year then that's probably when we'll get a dog.

On the hike we told Luke not to touch the dog and he never did. The dog would walk by his side sometimes and it was so cute! When Tiberias walked he also did great to obey our command to not touch the dog. That had to be really hard for him because he loves dogs and he is not yet two years old. I am proud of my boys.

Tiberias is in a very difficult stage though. He's in his terrible twos. He is grumpy almost all the time (growing or teething). He screams and cries when he is frustrated. Throws fits when he doesn't get what he wants. He can speak. He is pretty good at communicating with us but chooses to be ridiculous when things don't go his way. Ster and I have the hard task of teaching him it is NOT OK to scream and throw fits. No fun.

Sterling went to work. I worked on portrait editing. We did a special school lesson today about the 4th of July. I taught Luke that we celebrate the 4th of July because of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. That we are Americans and will one day move back to America. That we are free and blessed to be Americans.
We colored and painted patriotic art and hung them on the living room walls.

Tomorrow (Independence day) we are going to the beach in the morning. We invited the entire LDS ward to go with us via Evite.com. Nobody, it seems, is joining us. Stelring says they are too scared of the beaches in Europe. True, you're likely to encounter a topless woman if you go to the beach in the summer. But the Lignano beach we've been going to is not bad at all. I imagine the beach we are going to tomorrow will be the same. Sure, if you have or are a teenage boy then I'd avoid the beaches. Other than that, you can deal with it. Ignore it.

I made cookies to take with us to the beach. We'll purchase items from the corner store for Italian sandwiches to eat lunch at the beach. Sterling has the day off of work, yay.
Then at night we are going to take the boys (after 10pm yikes that's late for them) to see the fireworks at the military base.

This Saturday is Luke's birthday. We have invited just a few friends to have cupcakes and chocolate milk with us at a park to celebrate. Luke wants chocolate milk and chocolate cupcakes. I will decorate them all cute...I'm not yet sure what the theme will be.

We'll decorate the house with balloons and streamers that day just to make the whole day more fun for Luke.

Life is amazing. We are so happy! We are healthy. Alissa is expecting her first baby next month and I am so excited for them! I wish I could be there! I am sending them a fun gift...a jungle themed floor mat for the baby to lay on and play with. I will also warn them of the flat head problems that can be so serious and are a pain to try and correct.