2014 Squadron Ball

Well, our second military ball is in the books. I would have to say we've learned quite a bit in our few years in the military and I think one of the most important things is always. eat. first. Whether it's a Hail and Farewell or a Squadron Ball, never go hungry. You're just setting yourself up for failure... and grumpiness. These things always run a bit behind schedule. Since I helped set up this year we booked a room in the hotel attached to the venue. After setting up we ordered room service to munch on while we got ready. Ordering pizzas before the ball was probably the best decision we made all night. 

We had a great time at what will probably be our last ball in Germany. We sat with some of our favorite people from RC's troop. The Grog Ceremony was hilarious and it's always an entertaining night when you pack soldiers in a room with copious amounts of alcohol. I loved my dress and RC looked just as handsome as ever. I definitely had the best looking soldiers in the room. :) All in all it was a great night! 

Photos courtesy of Susanna Avery-Lynch. You can visit her Facebook page here. 

Partnach Gorge

Two weekends ago we went down to Garmisch for a Strong Bonds Marriage Retreat. Strong Bonds Retreats are for married couples to grow closer together and develop healthy communication skills. I think they are a great resource for service members and their spouses. Military life can be hard and it's nice to have some time to reconnect. It was a perfect getaway for us as RC was able to get off two days from work and we were able to have a free day from the marriage training to go and explore. 

I have always wanted to visit the Partnach Gorge, but there are so many amazing things do in the vicinity of Garmisch-Partkirchen that this just seemed to fall by the wayside. By our third visit to Garmisch we were finally able to hike the gorges and we would not have asked for more perfect weather. The Partnach Gorge is one of those frustrating places where pictures just don't do it justice. It was an incredible experience. Luckily it didn't end there. The gorge empties out into a few hiking trails that show off how beautiful Germany is in the fall. 

RECAP :: ROME, ITALY

• FLIGHT -- RYANAIR :: I cannot say enough good things about flying with RyanAir. Incredibly cheap flights. Never any delays. They have allowed us to see so much of Europe while saving some major $$$.  
• TRANSPORTATION :: Since this was such a last minute trip I did not get to plan as much as I usually do. We decided to spend a little more money and stay in a hotel that was more centrally located. This made it much more convenient for us to be within walking distant from some amazing attractions. Following advice from our friends, we purchased Hop On, Hop Off tickets and used those to get to Vatican. The price was comparable for a taxi ride and allowed us to use the bus service for days when we were tired of walking. 
• HOTEL -- HOTEL BOLIVAR :: As a mentioned above we splurged on the hotel, but it was well worth it. We definitely paid for the location and not the size of the room. It was tiny! But this wasn't an issue since I had read many reviews on TripAdvisor saying that very thing. The staff was very helpful and breakfast selection was wonderful with the most amazing view. 

(Check out this Instagram picture to see what I'm talking about!) 

Coliseum & the Roman Forum

St. Peter's Basilica & the Vatican Museum

When in Rome...

Do your best Audrey Hepburn impression at the Mouth of Truth!

Take advantage of the FREE water fountains spread out all around the city. 

Rome was a special trip for me for a lot of reasons. First, RC was gone for most of the summer. So I was extremely thankful when his command decided to grant him an extra four day weekend. I missed him terribly, and anytime we get to travel after he's been gone I always feel like it's another "mini-honeymoon". I always love quality time with that handsome man of mine! Second, visiting Rome has always been a dream of mine and I think it started sometime around when I saw Roman Holiday for the first time. Roman Holiday is one of my favorite Audrey Hepburn films and it's a go-to for a rainy day movie. Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck will make any city look romantic, but Rome is definitely a city that can stand on its own. Our visit lived up to all of my expectations and my only disappointment was that the Trevi Fountain was under MAJOR renovations while we were there. We had a fantastic time in Rome and are so thankful we were able to check it off the list.