Gearing up for the Holidays! ...Breathe....

Well, I didn't want to jinx it, but sure enough, I was able to turn a 10 day SRT into a 6 day one... I am so excited!  Our AC (pilot in command) was buddies with the stage ops manager and we pretty much got the hookup, heading straight home one of our jets!  Right before we left we got to check out a street festival in Landstuhl and local vendors at the Ramstein BX, all for the Christmas season.  Being in Germany during fall and the holiday season reminds me of being home in the Northeast... the scent in the air and the bright earthy colors, made me feel like I was home away from home.   The crew probably brought a whole store fridge full of German beer, something I am very proud to have contributed to. 

I guess I'll be in the office for the week, building tactics binders and NVG driving, since they really can't send me on another mission without having me miss my well earned (I think) vacation.  I don't mind it at all, being home.  It's nice to finally wind down for a while and catch up on my life here at the states.   Phew.   Breathe.

Now that I'm home for good before we leave I actually have time to check out sales to grab our first set of Christmas decorations, buy and mail out remaining Christmas gifts, and send Christmas cards!  It's just unfortunate that I missed Black Friday (...kidding).  Besides getting geared up for the holidays, I am in full swing on finalizing plans for our Heavenly Hawaiian Honeymoon!  I'll post an "agenda" when it's all done right before we take off!   Phew.   Breathe some more.

Until next time.

Trip #6

Left yesterday for yet another 10 day SRT (Scheduled Return Time) for us out of Ramstein AB, Germany.  Look it up, the base is huge.  It's not a bad gig to be stuck there for a few days.  I should be back home by the 7th of Dec, which would make my post-mission crew rest last until about the 10th, the day before my leave starts (and 6 days before the hubby and I take off for Hawaii!).  Mmmmmm.... Maui with the Mr.  :-)

Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

...here's a recipe for some amazing cookies that I found on Big Oven.com.  I've already made them once and fell in love with!  If only Mr. Speedbird were here to eat them all again.  Enjoy! :) 

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

36 Servings 2 ts PUMPKIN PIE SPICE	1/2 ts BAKING SODA
1 c DARK BROWN SUGAR, PACKED	2 1/2 c FLOUR
1 c PUMPKIN, CANNED	3/4 c BUTTER, SOFTENED
1 ts VANILLA EXTRACT	1/4 ts SALT
1/2 c SUGAR	1 lg EGG

Instructions

PREHEAT OVEN TO 300*F. MIX FLOUR, SODA, SALT AND PUMPKIN PIE SPICE IN A MEDIUM BOWL AND SET ASIDE. IN A LARGE BOWL BLEND SUGARS WITH AN ELECTRIC MIXER SET A MED SPEED. ADD THE BUTTER AND BEAT TO FORM A GRAINY PASTE. SCRAPE SIDES OF BOWL, THEN ADD EGG, PUMPKIN AND VANILLA.  BEAT AT MEDIUM SPEED UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY. ADD THE FLOUR MIXTURE. BLEND AT LOW SPEED JUST UNTIL COMBINED. DROP BY ROUNDED TABLESPOONS ONTO UNGREASED COOKIE SHEETS, 1 1/2 INCHES APART. BAKE 22-24 MIN UNTIL COOKIES ARE SLIGHTLY BROWN ALONG THE EDGES. IMMEDIATELY TRANSFER TO A COOL SURFACE. 

Home for A holiday, so far...

Welcome to my blog! Hopefully... just hopefully, I will be able to keep a fairly good log on the more notable events in our life. I will use the alias Lady Speedbird for myself and call my hubby Mr. Speedbird.... (the speedbird thing is borrowed from a British airliner's callsign that I came across while flying over Europe, and just adored how cutesy it sounded, hehe).

On to the story...

Currently Mr. Speedbird is temporarily stationed (TDY) in Fairchild AFB, outside Spokane WA for a very intense combat survival training course that I had just graduated from months before.  I am on post-mission crew rest from my last 7 day mission that I'd arrived from on Sunday morning.  I've been back home from my 5th mission now for only 2 days and already got a call from the schedulers. Whenever I see that number come up, my heart drops a little inside... I just wonder what will I miss this time! Luckily enough, I WILL be around for Thanksgiving... although Mr. Speedbird is still gone. This will be our first real holiday apart since we've been together, and sure won't be the last.

I just keep thinking, soon enough we will be in Maui with not a thing on our minds but each other. Our first vacation, our honeymoon, only 1.5 years late :)