ANNIE!

Aviano Air base has a fantastic community theater group! It brings all types of people together -- all ranks and ages, civilians, retirees, and spouses.  Once we got to the base in 2010, we always went to the shows, then last year, when they did The Sound of Music I got involved, playing a nun. Then last spring, the kids and I did Children of Eden. Then, Sara and Andrew went on to play Mrs. Beaver, and Peter in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.  This fall it was Annie, and Sara and I were excited to take part. Sara was so nervous to audition, but she bravely faced her fears and got the part of Molly, the lead orphan after Annie herself. And Sara's best little buddy, Isabella, got the part of Annie -- she is soooo tremendously talented! Not too many boys in this show, so Andrew hesitantly volunteered to do lighting, which, it turns out, thrilled him to no end! We'll start the photos there, with our favorite lighting guy!

Andrew had to pay very close attention to his cues

Molly and Annie were best friends in the orphanage. Annie comforts Molly after a nightmare, and sings the song "Maybe" to her, about finding her parents again.

"It's all right Molly, Annie's here!"

"Maybe far away, or maybe real nearby..."

The girls have a "Hard Knock Life" in the orphanage...

"No one cares for YOU a smidge, when you're in an orph-an-age!"

Sara got to be a real stinker as Molly. This was not an acting stretch for her...

Molly mimick's Ms. Hannigan and tells the girls to get to work!

"What are you doing in there?" -- "Nothing!"

"Annie's on the radio!  I wish I was on the radio!"

The girls learn that "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile..."

Happy orphans after Ms. Hannigan gets arrested!

The whole little of group of "morphins," as Frank called them

I did not audition for Annie, thinking it would be nice to just be a stage mom for Sara, but I got roped into playing a part, by my friend and Director, Frank. So, I became Warbuck's head housekeeper, Mrs. Pugh (pronounced "pew") and part of the ensemble.

Warbucks' servants meet Annie for the first time... Mrs. Pugh takes Annie's breakfast tray

"We know you're gonna like it here ... WELCOME!"

Warbucks saves the day ... "Hooray!"

As an ensemble member, I also had to be a sort of street bum in one scene that depicted how bad the Great Depression was on the people. Here's me and my girls in Hooverville...

The Hooverville Hotties

And, in one scene, I was your average 1930's New Yorker, singing about how great my city was. I donned a brunette wig for this one -- I kind of liked it! I really like doing ensemble work, it is so much fun!

And just a few other shots so you can see some of the other characters. We had a great "Sandy" the dog, played by Leo the Leonberger. He stole the show!

Annie belts out "Tomorrow"

Our Daddy Warbucks was a base Chaplain.  He went all out and shaved his head!

Our mean Ms. Hannigan (with her booze flask) was the Elementary School Principal!!!

Our FDR was the Principal's hubby, a retired Chief Master Sergeant

Sara and I had so much fun being in the show together! Annie is such a heartwarming story and has such fantastic music -- we are proud to have been a part of it! We made a lot of new friends, and as always, we learned a lot!  Our show was packed every night, and people really enjoyed it! Now -- it's time to take a break!

A big THANK YOU to Grandma Watson who helped make Sara's orphan costume!

The entire cast, and our director, Frank (far right)

Missouri

A year is way too long without grandparents!!!! So sayeth my children, and I wholeheartedly agreed, so off we went back to the states for a much-needed visit! We saved mucho bucks this time by taking up some vacant seats on a military flight into Baltimore (for free) and then commercial to St. Louis. It all went very smoothly and soon we were finally home! I think Andrew's height shocked everyone!

Sara, Steve, Andrew, and Diane

With grandpa at his photo studio

Bill is not really this short next to Andrew!

Mowing grandma's yard -- Andrew takes any chance he can to drive anything!

Sara had lots of time with her grandma

We were in Missouri at the prettiest time of the year! I took this shot on the bank of the Meramec River, very close to my parent's home in Fenton.

GORGEOUS!!!

Some unphotographed trip highlights --
1. The kids got to spend lots of time with their Uncle Greg.
2. We got to see Uncle Kenneth, Aunt Donna, and all the cousins at the Wurstmarkt dinner at the family church in Illinois.
3. We got a quick visit in at cousin Stacy's house in Trenton.
4. We got to eat a fabulous steak dinner at Ruth Chris' Steakhouse with my family.
5. We got lots of yummy junk food and shopping that we can't get in Italy.
6. We got to be really helpful to Gma and Gpa Smith with the installation of their new hardwood floors.

Andrew worked hard for several weeks before we left to be ahead on his homeschool work. But while in Missouri/Illinois, we had perfect field trip locations that correlated to his history lessons. The first one was to the Cahokia Mounds. He is studying American History, and lessons about the pre-European Native-American cultures like this were part of his introductory chapters.

Going up...

... and up...

View from the stop ... St. Louis in the background

Looking down

We did a second field trip the Gateway Arch, but mainly we were there to see the Museum of Westward Expansion underneath. He had just finished Lewis and Clark's Expedition before we came. Andrew and I went alone for this one, and we had a great time on a beautiful afternoon!

The Old Courthouse -- Andrew will study this soon enough regarding the Dred Scott Decision

Me on the Arch grounds

No trip to Missouri is complete without a few days in Kirksville with Andrew and Sara's wonderful Watson grandparents! We are so lucky to have both sets live only 3.5 hrs from each other.

Sara, Virginia, Andrew, and Dale

Christmas card shot I took for them!

Gotta love kids and cows in a photo!

Me and my monkeys

Grandma taught Sara how to use the sewing machine!

Andrew and grandpa always drive the mule

Sara loves grandma's new white kitty, Sassy

And we always stop at our home-base at the halfway point to Kirksville, in our college town of Columbia, to see our dear friends and parents-in-love, the Bostons.

Ro, with us --- showing off the french antique clock I helped them buy when they visited us in Italy

Bill, with us on the patio for a yummy lunch

Our ever-faithful besties, the Essigs, are always ready to hang out when we come home! We didn't have a lot of time on this trip, but we squeezed it in when we could. Robyn took us horseback riding one day at the ranch where she volunteers a lot.

Me and Robyn

Grace, Andrew, Sophia, and Sara

I dare you to eat this slug! Grace and Andrew have been buds since they were babies, and they always have fun!

Andrew, Grace, and Harley the horse

Me and Taz

Sara and Spurs

Andrew on Cactus and Grace on Harley

Andrew and Grace

Sara and Sophia -- where they belong!

At Three Margaritas -- but I only had one!

Only three days before we had to head back to Italy, Sara sprained her ankle on the stairs! Nice souvenir!

Here's how things looked on our last night there!

Soaking up grandma's hugs!!!

It was a great trip -- but not long enough! We really did go back to Italy at just the right time though, another few days and we would have been caught up in the travel delays from Hurricane Sandy on the east coast.  Thank you to everyone who made it such a fabulous trip!  We'll be back to the states for good next July!