Humboldt Redwoods National Park

If you haven't been to Humboldt Redwoods National Park, in Northern California about 2 hrs NE of Mendocino... GO!  You won't be disappointed :)

We stayed at the Hidden Springs Campgrounds, which were amazing!  There were plenty of bathrooms, showers, and firewood for sale.  They even had campfires open to all of the patrons (we didn't bother though).

The following pictures were taken on a trail (cannot recall the name) off of the Avenue of the Gods, a few miles north of our campgrounds.  Amazing GIGANTIC trees there... exactly what you'd expect!

We actually visited here for Labor day weekend 2011... a while from now.  But I'm trying my best to keep up with our fast paced lives! 

It's been awhile...

Ok, so it's been awhile... Again we've let our busy lives take overvso that we could not sit back and update our blog. I am currently fully upgraded now, about to embark on my first mission in command tomorrow! This is a milestone that all military and professional pilots aspire to reach. Next in line... The hubby! He's in line to start his upgrade training next month... Finally! The man has been flying his plane at least 3 months before me and he is finally next in line to become AC :). I've also just become a member of the Ninety Nines, a women aviator organization founded by the legendary Amelia Earheart. I am still trying to figure out which chapter I want to join, since joining a local chapter won't work with my consistently relocating lifestyle. Nonetheless, I am ecstatic that I finally joined, since I was tipped off about the program nearly a year ago! I plan to make this a lifetime membership and hopefully encourage my daughter to follow in my footsteps! I love being a pilot and seeing the world, and being able to bond with other female pilots in this prestigious organization just makes perfect sense. Well, that's all for now... I promise the next post will not be months from now :)

We are but darkened ships passing in the night.

I am currently at Altus AFB, OK, and have been since the last post.  I'm trying to finish up my first phase of aircraft commander upgrade training here, so i can progress to commander-hood. ((SCARY!!)) So here I sit, awaiting my checkride (which should have come and gone, but was postponed due to 2 snow storms) so I can LEAVE this place.  At the same time, the Mister is getting ready to leave on a trip that will take him to the same Happy Fun Place he will later go in mid-March (i.e. deployment time comes again). Cue dramatic music:  "Dum dum duuuuuum!" We will most likely miss each other since by the time I get home, he will already be gone.  Our lives are pretty darn hectic.

At least he's be productive while at home... he'd been working on an artsy shelving unit for my 39 piece (and growing) shot glass collection, and is just about done!  He showed me pictures of it and it looks great.  I will not post them since they do not justice now, but just wait until it's hanging on the wall!

Until then, here is a reminder of where I want to be...

Figured the mister would like this.  (me, not so much)

Beautiful Lake Tahoe

New Year = New Beginnings

I know its 2 weeks late but, happy new year family and friends!  We hope everyone had a fun and safe new years celebration!

I just made it home from a mission in time to spend new years with a few local KC-10 and C-5 flyers/spouses.  A few days later, the hubby and I enjoyed our very first fire in our fireplace.

Welp, the mister and I are starting off 2011 with his third deployment to Al Dhafra with projections for aircraft commander upgrade and the beginning of my upgrade later this winter/spring.  On the leisure side, we both have pitched in to a cabin with a bunch of co-workers at Lake Tahoe and have begun to learn to ski/snowboard!

We took snowboarding on first, and took a lesson in order to learn the basics.  We eventually attempted to do more but stayed only on the bunny slopes.  The hubby really took a liking to it.  I liked it too... well, except for the relentless falling and struggling to stand back up... only to fall, again.  We are both extremely eager to get better at it though.

Skiing was much more forgiving, as our friends told us.  We picked it up much faster and ended the day doing the entire green run from the top at Homewood Ski Resort.  I think I may stick to skiing... perhaps later I will reattempt snowboarding.  

Our next trip will be a quick 2 night stay in Vegas (fully equipped with a timeshare presentation), before we split up not to see each other again for up to 3.5 months.  Pictures and commentary to come!