Sneak Preview...Coming Attractions

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Sorry it's been a while since I got on the blog.  It's been a busy couple months, lots of traveling that I hope to blog about in the coming weeks and some big personal news too. 

First, the big news.  Tom got offered a job at Fort Huachuca in southern Arizona...about 45 minutes away from our 40 acres!  It was just too good of an opportunity to pass up so Tom got on a plane last Saturday (October 22nd) and moved to Arizona.  I will be staying here in Stuttgart for the time being.  My 3 year assignment is up September 2012 so I'll be working between now and then to find an assignment near where Tom is now working.  So...the clock is ticking for those of you considering coming to Europe for a visit.

Prior to Tom's move we did a lot of traveling.  We went to the champagne region of France over my birthday; we had family (my mom, brother and sister-in-law) visit and kept busy visiting the Black Forest, the Mosel River Valley and Garmisch; Tom and I then spent 6 wonderful days in London visiting the city and friends and then finished off our traveling extravaganza with an early anniversary trip to Tuscany.

I hope to blog about several of the trips but thought I'd give you all a bit of a teaser and post some pictures from the different trips.
It can't be called champagne unless it's made in this part of France.
About a week and a half after my birthday weekend my family arrived.  I was very excited about the visit because it was the first time family had come to visit since we moved to Germany.  It was also pretty special for my mom because she hadn't had my brother and I in the same room in almost 8 years!  Not since we were all together for Tom's and my wedding.
Mom and Haruko in Trier - in front of the Porta Nigra
Mosel River Valley - Loved it here!
Burg Eltz - a castle I'd wanted to see for two years.
Ludwigsburg Palace outside of Stuttgart
Annual Pumpkin Festival at Ludwigsburg Palace
View from the apartment we stayed at for 4 days in Garmisch. AMAZING!
Erik and Haruko - Hohenschwangu Castle
Neuschwanstein Castle - Walt Disney's inspiration for Cinderella's castle
At the top of the Alpspitze
Family left on Sunday and then on Tuesday we were on our way to London.
Tower Bridge and HMS Belfast
Buckingham Palace
Tower of London
We had originally planned to go to Tuscany this week for our wedding anniversary - 8 years on the 25th - but with Tom's move we worked with my office and moved up our Tuscany trip by a couple weeks.  We had a great time exploring the hill towns of Tuscany in a Fiat Panda that we called Luigi.  We stayed in an agriturismo outside of Montepulciano.  
Montepulciano
Beautiful Siena
We found our favorite pumping station in the Chianti region of Tuscany.
Florence American Cemetery and Memorial
My mother's father served during World War II in Italy.  We flew in and out of Florence and when I saw that there was an American cemetery outside of Florence I told Tom I wanted to stop.  I wanted to spend sometime honoring the memory of men whom my grandfather might have known and fought alongside.

So there's your preview of things to come.  Hang in there with me.  I'll try not to go so long between posts again. 

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