Jets . . .

It has become our Friday tradition to go see the jets take off and land. The timing isn't always easy to figure out because the jets fly all day at different times and I haven't really found a pattern yet. We bring snacks and we sit and wait. Somedays we get really lucky and lots of jets take off and land and sometimes we don't see any.

Getting ready to leave the house and see the fast jets!

Dallas is always super excited to see the jets. He always asks if they are sleeping or awake yet.

I have found a great spot right on the runway and I park the van and open the doors. The van keeps us in the shade and we have a perfect view of the jets taking off and landing.

If you look really close you can see the jets lined up to take off. It is right about Dallas' ear in the picture. They look like tiny dots. This is how we can tell if we should stick around and watch or pack it up and leave. The planes line up and it can take awhile before they actually take off.

We got really lucky today and saw about 16 jets take off and 5 of them land. One plane kept coming into land and then right before he would touch down he would turn on his afterburners and take back off. This made Dallas so happy and he would shout, "Awesome, he is taking off again!!!!"

Phoebe isn't overly excited about the jets but she does hang out and climb all over the van while Dallas and I take in all the jets. When the jets taxi by she will usually pay attention and wave.

A blurry picture of a F-16 taking off. They go so fast it is hard to capture a good picture.

Watching the jets down and the end of the runway to see what's going to happen next.

I try to make the kids wear ear protection because the planes are really loud. Phoebe won't keep it on so I usually have to cover her ears.

A bad attempt at a group picture.

This is his excited face right as a jet is taking off and flying right by us. They are usually barely in the air when they come by us. It is super exciting!

Somedays we get really lucky and a jet will taxi by us after he lands. We all stand out and wave to the pilot and sometimes they wave back. It doesn't happen often but it sure makes Dallas happy when they wave to us. I wish the pilots knew how in awe Dallas is over these planes and the dreams a kid has but I think the become complacent to the awesome job they are doing and forget that kids really think they are heros.

A blurry picture as the plane taxi's by.

To top off the mornings events we came home and made cookies, yum!

Kids Day To Play . . .

There was a National Kids Day To Play Festival on base last weekend and it was soooo much fun. The price of admission was one store bought cake. The cakes were then used for cakewalks. There were craft booths, bouncy castles, games and all sorts of fun. We hung out for about two hours and the kids had a blast.

Decorating a cookie. I must say that both of my kids get their love of frosting from me and Phoebe just ate her frosting and didn't want to decorate the cookie.

Where did we get her?

Face Painting was a huge success. Neither had ever had their faces done before so I wasn't sure how it would go. Dallas picked out a tiger and I picked out some small flowers that went by Phoebe's eye. I didn't think she would like getting her whole face painted. These ladies were fast and I was amazed how well it looked.Becoming a Tiger

The end result!

You can't really see Phoebe's well but it was some pretty flowers and ribbons on the side of her face.

Phoebe was getting tired and clingy. There was a scary man on one of the blow up bouncy castles that freaked her out.

Ice Cream Friday . . .

We went out to have some icecream one Friday for no special reason. We try and do something crazy and fun just because and the kids really love it. There was supposed to be old hot rods at the place we went but there were only two and Dallas was still pretty impressed with them.

School Update . . .

Dallas is doing so awesome at school. He LOVES it so much and it just makes my heart swell with pride. In the past weeks I have seen him just bloom. He is usually so shy around new people and new things and preschool has cracked him open a bit. We got to storytime at the library and for weeks he wouldn't participate in the songs and a week after starting preschool he started to join in. He also answers proudly when a stranger asks him a question where before he would clam up and not say anything. He is learning new things and loves to come home from school and sit on the couch and tell me about his day. They are having a Veteran's Day performance and I hear him singing songs from it and I can't wait until I can see him perform it in two months.

My very heart goes to school . . .

I have read the above quote several times. It always struck a chord with me and I felt like it spoke to me. I have always felt that my children were a part of me completely. Today, it took on a whole new meaning.

Today I had to send my sweet little boy to school and it felt like I was sending part of my heart away. I have been trying to prepare myself for this day. I knew it was coming but I have been in denial that my sweet little boy wasn't ready for school. I kept telling myself that he wasn't old enough and that it wasn't his time. Wasn't he just placed into my arms yesterday, where did the years go? I finally realized that he needs this and so do I in many ways. He was showing me that he was ready and I had to get ready too. I searched for a great school and I finally found one that I loved. I waited another week to convince myself I should do it and I finally got the nerve and registered him. We read books about going to school and talked about it how he would handle the transition. All the while I was wondering where my instruction manual was to get me through these changes. Everything we were doing was preparing him and I felt so unprepared. I feel like I know Dallas so much better than any other person and I was scared to send him to the unknown. Would his teachers understand his shy personality, would they force him to do things he wasn't ready to do, would he feel like I left him alone, would he be comforted if he was hurt? The questions just went on and on.

With my questions unanswered, his big day finally came. He was ready and excited. I was nervous and scared. Daddy was able to get off work so we could take him together. I packed his bag and off we went. When we got to school I signed him in and I was able to take him back to circle time where the children were singing songs. He went into the room very cautiously and I told him to sit on the carpet with the other children. I sat behind him and watched him take everything in. I was trying to see everything in his eyes. He didn't look scared. He was just taking it all in. I sat with him for a few minutes and I could feel myself start to tear up. I didn't want him to see me cry because I didn't want to pass my emotion on to him and have him get upset. I told him that I had to go and that I would be back to pick him up when school was over. I told him to have fun and be a good boy and that I loved him. He just told me bye. I barely got out of the room before my tears were flowing. All I could see in my mind was my sweet little baby boy with the crazy hair. We were able to watch on the TV for about 10 minutes. He never cried or got upset. He just sat on the carpet and watched the other children sing songs. He didn't join in or get excited but that is exactly him. I know it will take him time to warm up to this but I feel happy that he isn't afraid. When circle time was over they split the kids up and I heard the teacher say that he was going to go and do art. I watched him walk off the screen and knew it was time for us to go. I was so proud that he did so good and I truly felt like I was leaving a huge part of my heart behind.

When school was over we all went to pick him up. My stomach was in knots wondering how he did. I was afraid he wouldn't have fun or behave himself or perhaps have an accident. When we got there he came running up to us with his bag and his artwork from the day and I can honestly say I don't think I have ever felt more proud. My son, the big boy, survived his first day of preschool. He was excited to tell us about all he did and the great thing is that he wants to go back! When we got home he and I were on the couch and he was telling me about his day. He looked up at me and said, "mama, you're my best friend" and I about melted to pieces. Thank you Lord for blessing me with this amazing child. I don't know how I was so lucky to be picked to be his mama.

The TV that is in the lobby so all the parents can watch to see how their kids are doing. Such a great thing to have!