Robert and Laura~2010

Laura and Robert have had an incredibly mobile year. They have done a lot of traveling, a lot of it connected with moving back to the states after their three year tour in Italy. Robert is now attending the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island where he is earning a master's degree this school year. After this they are not sure where they are heading.

Spencer and Ross

They are loving living in Rhode Island and it is a complete change from the frenetic pace of Italy. It is like an island paradise, so peaceful and quiet and beautiful. The key word for all of them this years is "Education." Laura is homeschooling both of the boys. She works very hard at insuring they are getting what they need. Robert is home a lot studying too, so it is a new family dynamic having everyone home most days. They love it as they have spent lots of time apart in the past years due to Robert's traveling assignments for the Navy.


Before their return to the US, they did some traveling in Europe and went on a cruise to the eastern Mediterranean visiting places like Greece and Turkey. They thoroughly enjoying the cruise and are now trying to get our whole family to do a reunion on a cruise liner one day. We'll see?? The thought of not having to cook, clean, etc. does sound appealing along with plenty to do on the ship, with everyone's varied ages and interests. We got to spend over a month with them this year just traveling around and having a great time. We also got to take about 500 photos of them all for their annual Christmas card. The photos here are some of the cute ones they didn't use.

Spencer is eleven this year and in the sixth grade. He really loves home schooling. He has been doing this with Laura for at least a couple of years now. He is very interested in science and inventing. When we were visiting he was trying to come up with some ideas for some kind of bionic limbs. (Do you think his little cousin, Hazie, that cannot walk, has something to do with that?) He loves reading and has an unbelievable memory for details and so does Ross. He has a fun time with his brother and they enjoy biking, rock collecting, and Legos. He is learning to play the guitar. He reminds us all of Piper and vice versa. They have such similar personalities. They are both quiet, contemplative, and compassionate.

Ross is in third grade this year and the big event for him was being baptized in Italy when he turned eight this summer. Ross is very sweet and a total people person with the gift of gab for sure! While Spencer was learning karate with his Dad, Ross was doing rock wall climbing, he was good at it and totally fearless. Now that he is done with that he is taking karate also. He does everything with great gusto!

He is enjoying being back in the United States and being home schooled for the first time. In some ways it is like his first time here, as he was barely five when they went to Italy and he didn't remember a lot of his time in the US. Ross loves doing just about everything although car trips and shopping are definitely not his forte. He is learning a lot in school and they have the advantage of studying US history this year and living close to lots of important sites. They are all enjoying their new church family in RI. Laura is in the Primary presidency and Robert...for the life of me I cannot remember what his calling is right now.

They did some traveling up the coast of the US while driving to their new home in Rhode Island and then touring the New England states with Gramma and Grampa and Mom. Ross is a great reader too and both the boys love it when their mom or dad read to them. This comes in handy on long trips. They loved riding their bikes to the beach with Mom or Grampa each morning to see the sunrise when it was not quite as cold as it is now. They are dying for some snow to play in soon.

We are all hoping they will make it out to California before their next duty assignment. We are thinking a big trip to Disneyland with the whole family could be nice! Hey, Laura, they do have Disney cruises!