ACK!!! Happy Birthday, DAD!!!!

THIS:

was supposed to keep me from embarassing moments like the above. It was a gift this year at Christmas. I have had a few minutes to breathe in the hectic pace of last week. I updated the blog. I knew Dad's birthday was coming up - I thought the 17th. I flipped the calendar page to see who else had a birthday in March and there is DAD listed on 15 March. ARGH.
I feel like pond scum. They are out celebrating with my brother today.....I'm doomed to feel like pond scum until I can reach Dad. ARGH. I'm even reading a book about how to honor your parents without guilt while raising your children without regrets. I feel guilt....but it will be o.k. when I talk to Daddy.

Air Show

Our base hosted an Air Show yesterday. The USAF Thunderbirds performed. Many re-enlisted or took the oath during the show. I like Air Shows.  Jared worked at the CAP booth and at the Thunderbird tent yesterday. We milled around. Next year: We take MONEY so we can eat or buy something, we take CHAIRS so we can sit, we take SUNSCREEN.... It was a gorgeous day - perfect for an Air Show. How funny that I found myself tearing up when the Thunderbirds performed - combo of knowing those were young (most of them) pilots who could easily deploy, hearing the patriotic music.....
NO WHERE on earth are the differences between Mike and I more stark than at an air show. This is a FAMILY blog. Though it most often oozes estrogen, there are 6 men who live in our home.....so I must post these photos from our family day.
Mike's Air Show Photos (Pretty much without commentary as I don't know what is what)

Staged WW2 Bombing exhibition


B25 Mitchell bomber (same kind used by Jimmy Doolittle)

Check out Zander's awe...





Thunderbirds
4 were flying and the 5th zipped through the middle



Cool!














De'Etta's Air Show Photos


YES - she SLEPT through the Thunderbirds - now THAT is cold. I am at least interested.














Painted on the side of a USAF military fighter type plane

In Mike's defense - he DID take some children photos. In De'Etta's defense - she DID know that Mike would take lots of airplane photos, and that they would be better with the Nikon than the little Cannon. This was our 3rd "family outing" this month with the younger 5 - we're adjusting to life as it is.
Update: Mike added captions for the planes.

Bowling Anyone?

(Yes, it's Sunday and I'm posting. We don't have RE (Religious Education) on school holidays. I have two extra hours in my day.)
Sometime last week, I had to drive a big child to base. I took the younger ones and planned to go workout in the Family Fitness Room. They conned me into a game of bowling before the gym. It's only fair as the Family Fitness Room is simply a long room with workout machines and one end fenced off for children. Fun toys - but a glorified play pen nonetheless, and my children never used such.
The gentlemen watched Stacia bowl, and then said, "Wait, let me get her a cheater."
Stacia proudly yells, "I cheated, I cheated!" ::snort:: I believe she came in with the second highest score. The cheater works.
I missed Arielle's elation at a strike due to the fact that I no longer lug the Nikon around. ::snort:: I told her to "do it again". The improv class is proving beneficial.
Some of us take anything less than a strike very personally.
The same gentlemen with the cheater, brought out this huge pin to cheer Zander up. LOL