I am back

Okay, a few more pictures I had to throw on here before I really sign off.... Will, like most 6 year old boys, lives and breaths Transformers. Interestingly enough, Transformers 2 is scheduled to start filming here at Edwards this summer....

Signing Off

Well, not for good, but for the next couple of weeks anyway. Iain has a 2 week break from TPS!! Boy, do we need it. It was a very busy semester, but still managable. The last two weeks, however, have really hit all of us hard. By all of us, I mean all the students, wives and families of TPS.

I think I have explained before that there are always 2 classes going through TPS, the Jr. class and the Sr. class. Our Sr. class just graduated this month, so now we are the SR. class. It was a busy time with events surrounding their graduation. At the same time, the new Jr. class has arrived. Also proving to be a very busy time, as we welcome and help them get settled here at Edwards. So, for the last 2 weeks we have litterally had an event, meeting or social obligation almost every single night. WHEW!! Good thing we all get along so well as a class, because we were together ALOT the last couple of weeks.

So, for the break we are heading to Forest Home Family Camp here in California. We are very excited and I am sure I will have plenty of pictures to post when we get back. After that we are going to Arizona to visit my family for a couple of days. We will all be together.......including Michael and his (ahem) girlfriend!! Yeah, I will let you know. My parents have already met Katie and just LOVE her!

So, I will include some pictures of various activites from the last few weeks. Enjoy, and see you in a couple of weeks.

Next Airplane

So, Iain flew a glider this week. He had SO MUCH FUN!! Some things that made flying a glider fun and different for Iain were: 1)He is used to flying with a crew in his plane (c-130), the glider he flew solo. It was a neat experience for him to be up there, all alone, no engine noise, no headsets, just the pure fun of flying. 2)Landing a glider can be tricky. Since the glider doesn't have engines (obviously) then you don't get a chance to make a second go at a landing. When he flies other airplanes, if the landing doesn't feel like it is going to be quiet right, he just flies around and makes another go of it. You only get one landing in a glider. So, here of some pictures of his fun day of gliding. Also, he is not in uniform becasue this is civilian flying.

Bread and Farm Boxes

I have a new hobby. Bread making. I love it. My favorite is whole wheat and honey oatmeal. Abbie likes the french and sourdough!!

We have also started participating in a CSA (community supported agriculture). We like to call it our "Farm box". So, every Saturday we head to the little town outside of base and pick up a large box of local, organic farm produce. It is really fun becasue you are forced to cook with what is in season and often times try things you woldn't normally buy (like beets). It is also helping to expand the kids sense of adventure when it comes to trying new fruits and veggies. I just love it!!

Awards Season

So, it is that time of year. Time for awards. This year the kids have had the opportunity to be involved in so many activities. We have done Awana with the Base Chapel. I was initially just going to sign the girls up for gymnastics, but when Will went and saw all the boys in the class doing flips and jumps, he was hooked too. So, all 3 of the older kids have done gymnastics with their buddy Hudson. Abbie has been in piano and doing just great. Will has also continued in a martial arts class. He became interested in that back in Ohio. Abbie is also still enjoying her horseback riding lessons. There is a great home school group on base and during the school year we participate in PE once a week with them. WHEW!! It is busy out here in the middle of nowhere! :)

Saturday Market Foray

So, I haven't yet told you about my wonderful Mother's Day present this year. Well, Iain and our friend Ben set up for myself and my friend Christina (Ben's lovely wife) to spend a day in Santa Barbara....but, it wasn't just any day!!!

There is a French chef who resides in Santa Barbara by the name of Laurence Hauben. I took this off her web page so you can read about her experience..."I am the leader of the Slow Food Santa Barbara Convivium, and the Food & Wine Editor for Food & Home magazine. I wrote a weekly food column for the Santa Barbara Independent for over a decade.I directed the Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market Association, and pioneered the concept of an organic beach grill. My writings have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Gastronomica, and Saveur Magazine..."

So, now that you know a little about Laurence, back to my Mother's Day surprise. The day in Santa Barbara was spent with Laurence. Christina and I, along with 6 other "students" met Laurence Saturday morning on the pier in Santa Barbara. On this particular day, the BBC was doing a shoot on Laurence for their upcoming series entitled "Cutting Edge California". So, they were there as well. On the pier Laurence guided us in buying fresh seafood. We bought live Ridgeback shrimp and Rock Crab. From there we went to the Santa Barbara farmer's market. With TV crew following, we spent the better part of the morning exploring the market with Laurence. You could tell all the vendors new and loved her as one of their beloved locals. We explored, sampled, purchased and learned all about familar and unfamilar fresh foods at the market. Once we had taken in all we could of the beautiful market, we headed off.....for CHOCOLATE!

Just down the road, one of Laurence's friends owns a beautiful specialty chocolate store. We were invited to come for a private tasting, including a rare taste of chocolate tea!! Delicious. (Tina, this is where I bought those chocolates for you.) One more stop.....CHEESE

One last stop for the day, the local cheese shop. We sampled a wide variety of cheese, sausages and mustards. Camera crews caught every detail.... I discovered what a fan I am of goat cheese. Now that all our purchases were made, it was time to cook.

Normally Laurence takes the class back to her house, but since the camera crew was present, we had to go to her freinds house. It just so happens that her friend lived in a mansion overlooking the water in Santa Barbara. It was an amazing home.

So, the next several hours were spent cooking. What an experience. Laurence demonstrated and taught all sorts of cooking ideas and tips. We chopped, preped, tasted, laughed and enjoyed the whole experience. The food was so amazing and fun!! Here is what we fixed:

Fuerte Avocado Salsa with minced manzano peppers, green garlic, cilantro, coarse sea salt and bears lime juice; Chilled local rock crab claws on the half shell, lime chipotle crema; Rainbow beet carpaccio layered with local organic goat cheese, fresh mint dressing; Smoked pork leg roast with grilled peaches, baby potatoes and french green beans; Chilled Ojai navel orange slices with rose geranium; selected Artisan cheeses with roasted pistachios, honey comb and hoshigaki; warm cherry clafoutis; Roblar & Jaffurs wines

It was quite a Mother's day treat!! Since we had to be there early that morning, we went up the night before and spent the night. Iain, Ben and all the kids spent the day swimming at the pool and going to the Santa Barbara Zoo. I have posted some of the pictures from that day. Sadly, my camera battery was left at home charging. Thankfully Christina had her camera, so here are some pictures that she has sent me. As she sends more, I will post them.

Abbie's Recital

Abbie had her first piano recital. She played Holy, Holy, Holy. It was beautiful. We are so proud of her. It was an extra special treat for her to have her Grammie here as well. How did we get here? It seems like only yesterday, she was our 2 year old running around singing Veggie Tale theme songs....now look how grown up and beautiful she is.

Cherry Pickin'

We went cherry picking with our great friends the Boths. There is something so GREAT about picking food right off the tree. California.... you gotta love it.

Grammie!!!

Our beloved Grammie came for a whole week to visit!! Boy did we have so much fun!! We love you Grammie!! Come back soon and bring Papa with you!!

Mommy and me time

I am always trying to sneak in "mommy and me time" with the kids. This is just a time that myself and one of the kids spend a few minutes just the two of us. It always looks different. Sometimes it is an extra long cuddle in bed, a cup of tea together in our special tea cups, a shopping trip....

Will's favorite thing is to get a foot rub when everyone else has gone to bed. Today, Mollie and I read a new book together. I thought she looked so pretty in this picture, I couldn't resist.

This kid's got attitude....

......but boy is she sweet.

Only 8 years old?!!

Even though this picture was taken today, I feel as though I am looking into the future.... sadly for her dad, the future looks like a "knock-out"

A day at the park

Grammie is in town for a visit. We are so excited to have her here. We went to the park today. Enjoy the pictures.

The old and the new.

This is a picture of my dad being ordained as an elder in their church in AZ. I love this picture. My dad has been a strong Christian for many, many years. But, I remember a time when he did not walk closely with the Lord. Those memories, while not the best memories of my dad, are some that I cherish the most. I know that may seem strange. I hope I can explain what I mean. To remember my dad before he walked with the Lord reminds me of the faithful God that we serve. He was once a prideful man, persuing the world's standards for success. Now, he is a humble servant of the Lord. He is a servant to others. He is a strong and upright leader among his family and peers. He seeks the Lord's will in his life and he concerns himself with the well being of others.

My dad has been a kind and loving father all of my life. However, when I was young he had a big, full, jet black beard and when he would "growl" at us for misbehaving, I did feel somewhat like a bear cub.......timid of my papa bear. Now he has a snowy white beard. Every morning he prays with my mom, who is an amazingly faithful woman herself. I think he weeps every morning during their prayer time. Gone is the growling bear, now he is the teddy bear. :)

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

After all that babbling.....what I am trying to say is that when I think of my dad, this is the verse that comes to my mind. I rejoice that I have the old memories of my dad, because it makes the new ones even that much more precious. Does that make sense? I hope so. Love you, Dad.