Christmas Time :)

Well we are officially back in Italy until the end of the season. I seriously can't believe how fast the last few weeks have gone! I had such a great time being at home and seeing my family and friends, and then when Tony arrived we hit the ground running with 10 events (yes we counted) in the 4 days was home :) It was a little crazy and chaotic trying to fit everyone and everything in, but we did it and enjoyed every minute of it!

Here is a little re-cap of the highlights of being home...

The whole reason I flew home early was to watch my Brother last football game at UW. It was Senior night and they played CAL at home for the last time in beautiful UW stadium. Before the game started all of the Senior boys families went out on the field for a quick hug and picture. It was such a highlight to be down there while they warmed up and then to actually be on the field as the stadium filled up. But the best part of the entire day was when my brother made the most amazing tackle on the kick returner, right in front of us! Talk about an excited family...I think we screamed for about 10 mins until everyone was turning to see who the heck was still screaming ...so we finally stopped. Not only did my brother have a great game, the DAWGS did too. They finished out the season with a crushing win over CAL :) We are all so proud of my brother and his accomplishments at UW and I am so happy I was there to see his last game.

Then I had a really great dinner with old SPU basketball teammates. It was so fun to see everyone and catch up on all their lives and exciting things they are doing!

Miche, Carli, Beth, Kelsey, Mandy, Lexi, Jessie, Me, and Rach :)

Not only did I get to see my Brother's game, I also was home for their team banquet! It was so cool to be a part of his Senior banquet and see him one last time with his teammates and coaches. It was a great night of the season highlights and good times that this football team deserved. Way to go Teej....

UW Banquet

Then on that 2nd Saturday I was home, we started a new tradition in our house! The Poe Girls shopping DAY. I emphasis DAY because we literally were there when the mall opened and we were there when it closed. We started out at Bellevue Square, then to Downtown Seattle to finish it up. It was so much fun to have an entire day with just my Sisters and Mom...and we really did get a lot done! :) I am already excited about doing this next year!

The next week kept me busy with a Mini Christmas celebration at our Aunt Karen, and Uncle Dave's house! Our cousin Chris wasn't going to be able to be home for Christmas so we thought we would celebrate early with him! My Aunt made some wonderful food (it was so good to have REAL Christmas dinner food), we opened gifts, and enjoyed a fun night with our cousins :) We missed Tony and Lance though...

To finish off that week I had a wedding to go to for a friend from SPU. It was an evening wedding up in Issaquah with the reception at Snoqualmie Ridge! It was so beautiful with all the Christmas trees and lights! I of course danced the night away with lots of friends...so good to see everyone :)

Amy, Catlyn, Laura, and Me :)

This pic was to show Tony that his friends miss him, and were thinking about him :)

And finally Sunday...GAME DAY! I stayed home from Church to see Tony's game before he headed home. They WON again!! That makes it 9 in a row....they are really on a roll now! You can watch most of the games live on the web now so that will be nice when Tony is on the road :)  Oh and there was snow that day too!  My niece Gwenny made a mini snowman with my Dad that was so adorable!

Seriously...how cute is Gdub!  And true Poe style to use M&M's as all of the snowman parts!

TONY FINALLY COMES HOME! On Monday night after work I got to pick up Tony! I was sooo excited I didn't sleep at all the night before! Long story, but we had to wait at the airport for over three hours to then find out his bag wouldn't be in until 4AM! So we headed home and had them deliver it :)

Our friend Christmas party was the next night at Henry and Allison Level's new house in Maple Valley. They hosted a great party in their beautiful, big new home, and we all had so much fun eating, playing games, and having a white elephant exchange...haha! Oh did I mention that I won the pool tournament?? ;) I officially hold the title until next year...

Baby Senna Burt with Tony (notice the sweater and his turtleneck for the "Ugly Sweater" party), and Baby Jaelynn Martinez with me

Then FAMILY FAMILY FAMILY....
This year both of our ENTIRE families were in town for Christmas, which was amazing, but crazy at the same time! We spent a lot of time going back and forth between houses, families, and dinners. It was so much fun though...at least they only live 10 mins from each other!

Here was our schedule...
Christmas Eve: I worked until 3PM, then straight to the Binetti Christmas Eve dinner, then to Christmas Mass at 5PM, then out to my parents lake house for Poe Christmas Eve until about 10PM. Then back to the my parents house in town with TJ and Kristin, where we all slept!

Christmas Day: Up and at Sara and Lance's house by 7AM, got to see Gwenny and Brody open their presents, and then to the Binett's by 9:30AM to watch Taya and Hadley open theirs! Then off to shower, while Tony went to the grocery store (had to get some salad dressing, bbq sauce, and syrup to bring back with us), and then back to the Binettis for an Open house Christmas with the Calleros! To finish it off we went back to Sara and Lance's for our Poe Christmas, complete with some yummy food, a game, and ear candling (don't ask)!

I have to give a shout out to my sister Sara who hosted their first Christmas morning, day and dinner!  She did a fabulous job and her house was so cozy and cute!  Sara...I don't know how you find time to do everything you do with two jobs, two kids, and NO babysitters!  You are amazing!   Your first Christmas was a success...and I am sure you will have many more to come!

Merry Christmas!

Then it was back to pack up our new things and get ready to make the long trip back. We were up at 4AM and were on the plane at 8 heading back to Italy!

I can't even begin to tell you how fast the time went by! But I am so happy we were able to be home with our families for Christmas and wouldn't change it for anything. I miss them all already...

Hope everyone had a great Christmas! And HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

OK...so I know I haven't blogged since I have been home but I am just so excited about the fact that Tony's team is in 1st place in Legadue that I had to update!!

Tony has been playing great and his team has won 7 games in a row...it is killing me to miss his games! After tonight's game they now hold the #1 spot by themselves :) And too think that I was actually starting to believe I was the team's good luck charm ;)   (Pictures coming)

Well I am really really enjoying being home and I am having so much fun spending time with my family and friends! It was really special to be here for my Brother's last football game at UW, and be able to go his banquet with my family. We are all so proud of him :)  (Pictures coming)

Now I am off to do all of our Christmas shopping...this really is the best time of the year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Make that 5

Tony's team has just won their 5th game in a row!  They played Venice, who is a good team with a lot of $$ for big time players.   The game was close to the very end, but we once again found a way to come out on top.  Tony played really well with 8pts and again played the whole 4th quarter!   Check out these great action shots....of his HAIR...OK and his skills ;)

P.S.  Dinamo is currently in 1st place in Legadue!

Really...that hair is amazing.

The camera man was loving Tony this game!

We also had a wonderful Thanksgiving last Thursday.  We shared it with some of the other teammates and enjoyed turkey, mashed potatoes and meat surprise (really...nobody knew what it was, and of course I didn't try it).  Even though we couldn't be with our families it was nice to relax and have a fun dinner out with friends.   And it was Tony's first time eating Turkey in 4 years, so he was a happy camper :)

 

Our Thanksgving Cozy Cave :)

I am so thankful for Tony :)

 

Our Crew

Well we are a happy bunch around here with 5 wins in a row, and we will make it 6 this weekend with a home game against Scafati :)  This week I am heading home, so I have stocked the house with many boxes of pasta, prepared sauce, bread, and peanut butter & jelly.  Hopefully Tony won't have to go to the grocery store too much when I am gone.  I will be home on the 3rd of December, and Tony will be getting home on the 21st.

Excited to see everyone and looking forward to being home for Christmas :)

Ciao Tutti and Buon Natale!!

4 in a Row...we are on a ROLL!

Well Dinamo has done it again. They beat Casale on Sunday by 24 points to make it four wins in a row! To win over here in this league by 24pts is a really big deal, so everyone was really happy and that makes life so much better :) Tony played a good game and was in the entire 4th quarter when they went on their huge run.

The only funny thing that happened in the game is that the lights went out for about 15mins during the 3rd quarter. But it obviously didn't bother our team too much!

Its Thanksgiving this week...how fun! And we actually have something to do this year! I was at an English speaking school and talked to a girl that is from Canada, and she told me about how there is a restaurant in Sassari that makes an American Thanksgiving dinner! So of course I said...oh YES we want to come! So on Thursday we are heading to an Italian version of Thanksgiving with our American teammates. Since there are no turkeys around here, the restaurant owner assured me at the game that he was having them flown in :)

I will be back to blog all about our experience this weekend....

With Thanksgiving in mind, I wanted to write about some of the things I am thankful for.

First and foremost I am so thankful for Tony and his love and support. He works so hard everyday to provide for us and our future....and I don't think I have ever heard him complain. He is the biggest blessing in my life and makes me laugh and smile everyday.  Love ya Ton :)

Next my family...oh my family. I am thankful for my wonderful family because they really are my best friends. I couldn't ask for anything more in them, and I cherish their love and care so much. Being away from them is the hardest part about being over here, but it also gives me a chance to appreciate how blessed I am when I DO get to be with them. I am also thankful that we are all happy and healthy too.

I am thankful for my great friends. It is hard to be over here and not have any friends, but knowing that I have so many good ones back home makes it a little bit easier. I am thankful that they like to email and talk on skype too :)

 

And lastly, but most importantly, I am thankful for God's presence in our lives. He is the rock in our family and I know he will always be there. I am thankful for the many blessings he has bestowed on us, and we are looking forward to where he is taking us in our future.

I hope you all have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Ciao Tutti.

3 in a Row :)

Dinamo has just won three games in a row and it feels good!  The game was on T.V. so I was able to watch it, which is so nice.  They played Udine which is where our Coach coached last year...and Udine's Coach coached here in Sassari last year.  So I think the fans were pretty into it!  The game was really exciting and went down to the wire....it was tied and Udine had the ball trying to get the last shot.  Of course Tony was guarding the guy they gave the ball to and so he drove...and Tony fouled (and no...he was not supposed to)!  I was sooo nervous for the two shots I could barely watch...he missed the first...then missed the second!!  Phew! :)  So into overtime they went!  Tony must have not been happy about his foul because he really turned it on in overtime and had a couple sweet steals and a huge 3 to seal the deal at the end!  It was a great game to watch...and a great win for Dinamo!  We are on a roll right now...      I am so proud of Tony, he has really been rockin it the last few games :)

But have to report a bad lose for the Huskies against Oregon State...looks like the chance of them making a bowl game is probably gone.  But they can still finish strong...so c'mon Dawgs let's get the Apple Cup and CAL and see what happens!  :)  Go TJ!

This week I had practice and class which was really fun.  The bball is interesting because they are a really good team and play in a good league, so there is no slacking off for me when I am there.  The Coach is a pretty intense guy and yells alot!  But I can't really understand him, so that is the best part ;)  I just hope he doesn't yell at me when I tell him I am heading home for Christmas soon...yikes!

And teaching is really interesting...the group of 4 students I have are very good at English but still need a lot of work with correct tenses and sentence forming.  However, they told me this week that I don't need to use the book and the boss (Pierre) only wants me having conversations with them.  This is really fun, but for an hour and half...that is a lot of things to come up with to talk about!  If you have any good topic ideas let me know....

Oh did I mention that last week Tony and I spent about 10+ hours in the dentist office!  Tony went three times last week, and I went once.  We each have more appointments this week too.  It has taken three appointments...plus more this week for Tony's ONE cavity!  Since neither of us have ever had one...we aren't sure if this is normal, but we have a feeling its not!  I am trying to get my wisdom teeth out...but not sure if they are translating "Wisdom teeth" correctly!!  I need to research teeth vocab in Italian so we can all be on the same page before they yank the wrong tooth!!

This weekend the guys got two days off so Sunday we headed to the beach after got home from his trip.  It was a beautiful day and it felt great to have the warm sun on our faces.  Tony and his teammate Jiri were playing a seashell throwing game that of course Tony made up.  Then on Monday I had a dentist appt. and then attempted my first Apple Pie to test it for Thansgiving :)

Yes...we were on the beach on Nov. 15th :)

Tony and Jiri enjoying a little competition

My first attempt at an Apple Pie

OK and can I just say that my niece and nephew are sooo darn cute! Here they are on Halloween...aaahh so precious!  I miss them so much.

Hope everyone has a great week...Ciao Tutti :)

Family!! In Antwerp and Italy!

Well it has been a very eventful and busy couple of weeks in our house!  I flew to Antwerp to see my parents last week and then when I got home the Binetti's were here to welcome me back :)

First, Antwerp was sooo much fun!  This was my second year in a row meeting my parents over there in November and it works out so well.  It always seems to be perfect timing for me, because its always when I am just starting to miss home.  We had a great time walking the city, looking at Ruebens, shopping, and just being together!  We of course ate at my Dad's favorite restaurants and they were so good!  The best part of going to the same places, is that we can walk by the window and see the owner, and have him lean out of the window and say hello, and then make a reservation for later...haha!  Another fun part of the trip is working with my Dad in the diamond district.  It is so interesting to see how it all works and be a part of it.  I always have known how good my Dad is at what he does, but seeing him in action in Antwerp is really a special treat! 

The time with my parents went way too quickly but I loved every minute of seeing them, and was so grateful it worked out so well!  And I am hoping this trip becomes a tradition for as long as we are over here!  (pictures will be up when my mom emails them to me)

Second, the Binetti's were here!!   They actually stopped on their way to the island on Sunday to catch Tony's away game in Rimini.  Tony had an awesome game and it was so nice for his parents to be there for it.  So when the Binetti's are here it is so much fun for me because we explore new places everyday and I have a great time playing tour guide and driving all over our area!  Mimi speaks Italian now and it was really fun going into all the cafe's and stores and communicating with everyone...we made lots and lots of friends everywhere we went.  The other very nice part of them visitng is that they cook for us everynight and do all the dishes!  Since I am still working on my chef skills is so nice to have really good food...especially for Tony!  I tried to pick up as many homecooking tips as I could...haha!

                                            A beautiful day in Castelsardo with the family

Sunday was finally a home game after two road games...so we were all super excited!  When we were walking around town one of my fan/friends came up to me and asked if I had seen the poster...and since I hadn't...he ran into a local shop and brought out the game program that folded out into a big poster of Tony!  It was so cute ;)

Then we were off to the game and it was a good one!  Dinamo won and Tony had such a good game...must be all that Joe B pasta :)  Then we headed out for a farewell dinner to celebrate the win and the Binetti's last night.  It was so great to have them here with us for a week...we love visitors! 

Superstar....

Cheers to a great trip and win!

 

Tony's the Poster boy ;)

Well this week brings us lots of dentist appointments, practice, teaching, and a TV game on Saturday night!  Forza DINAMO!!! 

Ciao Tutti :)

Busy Busy Beeees!

Well it has been a busy week in our house!  But I do have to start with the bad news...Dinamo lost by 2pts at Brindisi!  It was a game they could have won, but it just didnt happen!  The only good thing about the game was that it was on TV so I was able to watch it from home.  Such a nice change from the play by play on the computer!  Tony said it was good to see all the old fans and friends back at Brindisi, but it would have been better if they could have won (of course)!

Other bad sports news was that my Brother's team lost to Oregon on Saturday!  They have a bye this weekend so hopefully they will get rested up and be ready to go against UCLA on the road.

Last week was especially busy for me!  I am now teaching Tuesday and Thursday nights and then practicing on Wednesday and Friday nights.  I had my first solo teaching experience on Thursday.  I showed up for class, that I am supposed to be teaching with another teacher, and found out that she had another class that night across the hall and I was teaching on my own tonight!  I could tell she was worried about me because she knew I didn't know I was teaching on my own, so I wouldn't have anything prepared...which I didn't!  But she told me just to go for it..haha!  I started out a little slow, but then once we started just having a conversation in slow English it was great!  At the end of the class I asked my three students how it was, and they seemed to really enjoy it, so that made me happy! 

I am excited to go back this week and step up my game :)


Then on Wednesday and Friday I had basketball practice.  They switched my practice days so it would work with my class.  But then after Friday night the coach told me that I might be able to play with a lower level team in actual games!  He went on to tell me that I would now start practicing with both teams on Wed and Fri!  So back to back practices...it should be interesting.  Of course we are going to look at the schedule and make sure we don't play on Sunday's because I can't miss Tony's games, but it might work out! 

It was nice to relax on Saturday and Sunday, but great to have Tony back on Monday morning.  We just relaxed, and enjoyed a restful day...and made some No-bake cookies :)

Tony signing autographs after his last game.

 

I know these don't look very appetizing...but they are :)

A beautiful sunny Monday on Oct. 26th

 

We are looking forward to a fast week of activities and then we get to see our parents next week!  I am flying to Antwerp to meet my mom and dad which I am sooo excited about!  And then I get home to the Binetti's here for a week!  We love having our families come to visit, so we are excited for a great couple of weeks :)

Ciao Tutti :)