Let's Fly Away ...............

Last Friday night Dad, Jesse and I went on a little outing to the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. The group trip was arranged by the Experimental Aircraft Association clubs from Grand haven, Coopersville and Grand Rapids.


The bus ride down Friday night was a little "rock and rolly" due to the high winds but we made it to our hotel around 11 PM and got a good nights sleep.

We arrived at the museum just after 9 AM Saturday morning. The museum is comprised of 3 adjoined giant hangers with an IMAX theater on one end and a missile silo on the opposite end.


We started with the beginning of flight exhibits, moving from gliders to the Wright Brothers and beyond. The Wright Brothers were from Dayton so the home town connection is strong (ie Wright-Patterson Air Force Base) and there was a lot of Wright Brothers memorabilia.

Wright Brothers Flyer

It is hard to believe that man went from the first flight of the Flyer (above) to landing on the moon in 70 years!

Spad

Jesse, how'd you get so tall!

Pea Shooter

We continued through the WWI exhibits into the WWII displays. The number of beautiful planes on display was amazing. Each plane had a detailed description, many with provenance such as the actual B29 "Bockscar" that dropped the nuclear bomb"Fat Boy" on Nagasaki, Japan.

Fat Boy

B17 Flying Fortress

From the WWII area we proceeded through the Korean War, Cold War and modern era displays. The B36 and B52 bombers were absolutely huge. It was amazing that so many large planes fit in these hangers. There were also many planes and helicopters hanging from the ceilings.

B52

SR71 Blackbird

YF22 Raptor

We had a great day and were home by 11 PM. I would highly recommend this as a great destination to visit but, suggest spending two days. One day did not allow us to spend a lot of time in each of the display areas or, see the IMAX movies or, do the presidential plane walk throughs.

For more great photos and information see this site:

http://www.williammaloney.com/Aviation/USAFMuseum/index.htm

Dave.

Not the intended blog!

So yesterday I had every intention of posting a new blog about what happened over the weekend and for some reason the SD card would not come out of the camera. I tried and tried to open that little door. I know I could have connected the camera to the puter but, that would have required me to find the cord and most importantly.....try to figure out how to download that way!! So when Dave came home he took the camera apart and VIOLA' we have pictures the old (OK maybe not so old) fashion way!!

Again, best laid plans of mice and men.......we had a doosy of a storm last night and this is the result by the light of day!! This tree came down and took out the power line to the house!! So, because of that, this is the blog you get!!! I am trapped in the house with no way out the drive. I am thinking I can move the tree topper, and then since Sarah has her mini here I could sneak under the hanging tree. But, there is a down wire laying very close to the top so guess I will continue to wait for Consumers!!

This is what is holding up the tree!! Power wire anyone! You can just see the wire along the trunk!

Thank goodness for the generator, what without I would have NO COMPUTER, or TV!! and in the words of Dorothy from the Wizard if Oz......"Oh MY!!"
I may also have the frig plugged in!!


Last night Dave was still able to search the web with the remaining power in the computer battery! Although he was quite upset that he was missing Dancin with the Stars results show!!! I kid you NOT, people!!! Poor Hoff!

This morning and Dave prepped the bike for a ride to work. Had to trek through the woods and said he hit a few branches that were sticking out on the road as he went by that he couldn't see, but he made it. Like he said work is his life!!! :)

So now begins the waiting game. At least it is just the power, no one hurt and no damage.

Thinking about my sissy and her hubby that lost a nearly completed storage bldg. they were working on. Saw a few pics and that is not good. Love you guys!!

Who am I??

Sometimes you ask yourself.....

Who am I.....?????

And today I looked around and discovered........

I am a GRANDMA!!!!

To this incredible young man!!!

And I could not be HAPPIER!!!!!!!

Finally....right?

It has been a busy couple of weeks....I know that is No excuse!!! OH, well that is the one I am using!! This blog may be a little mixed up but moved some of the pics and decided this was good enough!!!

So here goes......................

First, and most importantly Amy had to have some out patient surgery. All went well and Lukas was happy to sit and read her a book till she felt better!!

And what better to play with than the really cool bracelets that they gave mommy at the hospital!!

So this is where the out of order begins!! Over the Labor Day weekend we went camping at Deep Lake, near Gun Lake. Dave and I went for the week and were joined later by the kiddo's. The week was interesting.....we started out with 90 degree and high humidity and then we went into monsoon season, to winter, and then one cool day with some sun!!!! Seriously we had hot, cold, rain , and wind that was a little nerve racking!!

But, then the kids decided to brave the weather and headed down.....the plan, the guys sail the ladies and Lukas head over to the campground!!

Before they left the house Jess and Amy said that Lukas wouldn't leave until he was wearing his (2 sizes too big) cowboy boots and hat that drampa brought back from Colorado!!

As you can see I wanted to try the hat on for size......ummmm nope.....and someone wanted it back!!

Aunt Sarah let him try a self portrait with her camera.......Love these eyes!!

Not too long after we got back to the camper Lukas, Amy and Sarah took off for a little hike!! First for a little downhill!!

Sarah said that all along the trail whenever Lukas saw a tree that had fallen he pointed and said, in the cutest little voice EVER.......Ohhhh NOOOO!! They had to reassure him that it was OK!!!

Along the way, as always Lukas found a stick to walk with!!!

A little help from mom along the way!


Wow, no one told him how intriguing the rocks in the road could be!!

Time for a closer look!!!

Enough of the lolly gagging!!! Time to get back to the camper!!! :)

The boys cut the sailing short and came back to the camper to hang out. Sarah and Dave enjoyed sometime around the fire pit!!

Lukas and I played a little hide an seek around the tree!!

I want to preface by saying that we did our turn with the tent and sleeping on the ground, cooking on a camp stove, even under an umbrella......so we have earned the comforts of the camper. There is certainly nothing wrong with being able to sit outside enjoying the weather and searching the web!!!!!!!!!!!

See...tonight dinner was going to be over the fire.....told you we know how to camp!! So, Lukas was more than willing to lend drumpa a hand!! But, only with the paper not the actual fire!!

Ummmm....yea!!! Dave is defiantly making a fashion statement...we are just not sure what it is!!! LOL

Lukas was sitting on the steps and and he brushed off the dirt he called mommy and asked her to sit down. Then he brushed off another spot and called drumpa!!

Next it was daddy's turn!!

Luckily it was my turn next......but really could I not have gotten a spot a little easier to get down to and back up from!!!!??? We were all laughing because he was very insistent and very sure of where he wanted everyone....so aunt ya ya took our pic. When we asked where she could sit, he originally looked around.....then held up his hand and without missing a beat yelled.......NOOOOOOOO!! at her. Sorry Sar we didn't mean to laugh but it was FUNNY!!!

After the camping trip it was back to the regular schedule. On Wed. Lukas came for a day with dranma. The day before we had a H#%% of a windy day. Luks was in his glory with all the sticks and found this really big one to play with! He also was concerned with all the leaves that had fallen and wanted to put them back on the trees!! :)

Because Amy was going to have surgery I got a couple extra days with my little buddy and he pitched in on the cleaning. Although he wouldn't let me but the battery back in after it charged....hehe. He did walk backwards around and around pulling the vac while repeating over and over......"back up back up back up!!!

And this morning when I opened the dishwasher I found this.......one of his fridge magnet letters must have needed a bath!

When he was younger Dave had Ho (clean minds now) trains and when the kids were young he built a small track for them that folded against the wall........

...........and even though this is an older picture you can see that someone else likes trains......so.....

Guess who fixed the old track and then bought some new engines for it!!! Not too sure who is going to have more fun with these!!!

Now for the other piece of big news......at 19 mos. old Lukas is asking to use this!!!!

At first we thought it was a fluke that he was saying " poo poo on potty".....but on the 3 days he was with me he asked and went all 3. He also went pee pee a couple of times...hmmmm. He started this a week or 2 ago on and off. I wanted to include the adorable pics of him reading his Thomas catalog while sitting on his potty chair in the camper but ......that is just going a little too far for me and the blog!! :) :)

Well, on that note I think I just may be caught up again!!!! Whooooo