Spouse Taxi 2010

I got to do the spouse taxi with Zach again this year. I forgot how much fun it is. I got to get in a flight suit and go to briefings and learn all the things NOT to touch in the T-38. After the briefing, we went to life support and found our helmets and gloves and parachute. We made sure everything fit. We took some quick pictures and went out to the jet. Zach helped me get in, (the parachute was so heavy he had to practically lift me up the ladder into the jet!) He helped me get strapped in. After he strapped me in he asked me if I knew how to undo it. I said "oh ya, I won't die if I had to get out quick". (more on that later :) ) He let me talk to the crew chief and do all the hand signals to let him know we were ready. After a lot of test radio calls, we were really on. There were 4 jets in our group and we each had to say things on the radio so the air traffic controller would let us know when we could taxi. It was SO SCARY! I didn't want to say the wrong thing. I was jet number 2 so luckily I just had to say "2" most of the time and at the end "Snake 2 back in the pit". It doesn't sound that hard, but to get the timing right and everything else going on I was freaking out! I got it all done though. We waited for the first jet to taxi and then it was our turn. We took off and my stomach was going crazy! It only took about 5 seconds to get 100 miles per hour. They wouldn't let us take off so we had to just slow down and taxi back. Zach let me have control and taxi back on my own. I tried SO HARD to do it right but Zach kept having to take control back because I couldn't stay in a straight line. I never knew how hard it was to just taxi, let alone fly the dang thing. Each time I do this I realize how hard Zachs job truly is. I think "what a hard job you have to fly every day." It really is a hard job. I need to give him a lot more credit.!!!!
I am so glad I got to do this again with him and I am a lucky girl. How many people get to do that? I love my Air Force life!!! Thanks Zach!!!

Before we stepped

A quick picture with the snake mascot (in the glass container) and the dead armadillo

Our four-ship

After our Taxi

Getting ready to Taxi

Helping me get strapped out
So the rest of the story is that after the flight Zach told me to un-buckle and I tried FOREVER! I couldn't figure it out. I felt so dumb. He had to climb up and help me get out. I guess if I would have died after all if I needed to get out quick. Next time I will listen to him. I guess he does now best.

Zach's Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to Zach! Yesterday was Zach's 34th birthday. We really didn't do a ton, but had a fun night together. We opened presents after work and then went out to eat. We bought donuts and ice cream and ate that at home at night. We all love Zach so much and are so blessed to have him as a husband and father. I am not sure what I would do without him in my life. He is my center and makes me whole. Happy birthday ZRoy, we love you!!

A birthday picture of us. We only have about 10 pictures of us together in 10 years. Thought we better get another one.

Look how great he is. He had to bring in his own birthday food.

Blowing out his candle.

Birthday donuts. He is not a fan of cake so this was a nice change.

Halloween 2010

Happy Halloween from:
Ironman, Ben 10, Cinderella and Hobo Stewart

I did it!!!!

I have been putting this post off for a while. It is weird to do a post about yourself. Mom's don't have time for themselves do they? Well, as I tell Aynslee every morning, I make your food, brush your hair and teeth, clean your house and clothes, it is time for mom to do something for herself.
I made a goal this summer to run a 5K by Blazes first birthday. Most of you are thinking in a very sarcastic way "wow a 5k!" It is a BIG thing for me. Some of my friends in high school (you know who you are) use to make fun of me by telling me that I couldn't run. This was because in the 8ish years that I had known some of them, they had in fact, never seen me run. Not even across the street if a car was coming. I would just walk quicker. Running makes you look weird and depending on how far you go, you get tired!! Yuck. I HATE RUNNING! Well, I did. Until this summer when I forced myself every other or sometimes every morning to run. I decided that I needed to do something for myself. I am finished having babies and now it is my turn to control this body. The one thing I thought of that would push me was running and making myself run in a race (yes, even a 5K counts) would make me actually do it. ( I had to practice, I am not one to just sign up for something with out knowing for sure that I could do it).
I wake up every morning and drive my boys to school and stop at the park on the way home and get my double stroller and Aynslee and Blaze and I go for a run. This my friends is the reason I have to tell Ayns it is mommys turn to help herself. Aynslee is more worried about how long it will take before she can watch her morning cartoons. I started out walking and running and before long I was running 2 miles and then 3 and then 4 and I haven't tried 5 yet because the "when are we going to go home" starts to drive me crazy and I stop at 4 so the princess can get her cartoons in. Anyway, on October 16th one week after Blazes first birthday, this 29 year old mother of four ran her first 5K. I know, clap if you want, I am!!! I had a goal of running in 30 min and I did it in 27.50. Not the best time ever, but I know now that I can push it harder because I was not a tired as I should have been at the end, and I have a lot of things I saw that I want to improve on. I really liked it and I placed 32 out of over 60 (not positive about the exact number but I do know there were at least 60). And, the first 15ish was the high school cross country team. I don't really count them in my perfect mind because they like to run and do it for a hobby, so count me as placing around 15th ha ha :) In my picture I am racing a 14 year old on the team. She beat me, but I was still racing. Pretty good in my mind. I did my race and I liked it and I accomplished my goal and I like running. I have lost a few pounds and it helps me clear my mind and helps mommy do something for herself. I have to say that I may actually do another one and try and improve my time. I honestly can't believe that I can say. I did it!!!!

Racing that 14 year old at the finish line.

After the race.

p.s. A BIG thank you goes out to Zach for listening to me talk about running for the past 4 months and then freak out right before the race about not doing it and then doing it and then not wanting him come watch and then calling him 10 minutes before telling him to hurry and come. And then talking about how great it was for 2 weeks after. Zach, you are the best. I know I couldn't put up with myself!!! You are a great man!