Monday, May 31, 2010

Flight Training

I (Justin) have been enjoying flight training and here is a photo update on how things are going! We're getting ready for "Mountain Week" which is really 10 days of flying in the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina.
This proves that I have been flying! Aerial view of Willow Creek, NC near JAARS.

Landing at Willow Creek, NC in the Cessna 206. The high pitch sound you hear are the "flutes" and they tell me I'm at the correct speed for a short-field landing.
Taking off from Willow Creek.
On Friday, we took a field trip to the mountains to set up our runways. Here's the view of Strawberry Ridge airstrip. It's all sloped, more so at the top.

This is a one-way airstrip because of the trees and house at the top of the hill. You can only take off down hill and land up hill.

Every airstrip has to have a wind indicator (windsock).

Measuring and surveying the runway. The cones are placed at 100' intervals. The big white cones mark the landing zone.

This is the Valhalla airstrip. The mountain in the distance is Mount Mitchell, highest peak east of the Mississippi.
Measuring and marking Brown Field.

This is the back room of the hanger (below) that we'll be staying in for "Mountain Week."
Ryan Airplane Company at Avery County airport in Spruce Pine, NC will be hosting us for Mountain Week.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Just hanging out . . .

. . . on Mom and Dad's bed







. . . in the laundry basket

. . . on the play mat

Not sure I'm ready for this . . .

Gracie found my nail polish this morning and REALLY wanted to try! So, I painted her nails. I don't know if I am ready for my little girl to be this grown up! All of a sudden she seems like a kid and not a toddler.

And as you can see, this was the 23 month-old version of nail painting. We used 5 colors in a matter of a few minutes!

Aunt Kirsten, this is for you!

Thanks for the AWESOME book! As you can see, Gracie has it memorized.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Fun girls

Sweet Anna just loves any attention she can get! She absolutely lights up as soon as we start to talk to her. It is so fun, but also makes me feel kind of guilty, like she is starving for attention or something! Or maybe we just have a really happy baby on our hands :).

Oh and she is starting to lose her hair. We will see if it comes back in dark like it is now or light like her big sister.

Yesterday at lunch I looked over and saw Gracie sticking pretzels in her bellybutton. She informed me that she was taking her temperature and that she was sick and needed medicine. Gracie is obsessed with medicine!




And . . . Gracie is just learning how to sing!


Going on a trip

While I was getting ready this morning Gracie had fun "packing" a bag and getting ready to go on a trip! Cousins Nate and Ellie are on her mind a lot lately (as you can see from the video). And Nate has a birthday coming up! We will be in CA just in time to celebrate.






Friday, May 14, 2010

We are back!

We had trouble accessing our blog for a week or so, but now we are back! Here are some photos of the girls from yesterday and today. It's warm here, so we are enjoying shorts, AC and playing outside after dinner!



Playing bubbles at almost 7 pm and sweating! We have a sweaty girl on our hands. NC humidity is nothing compared to living in Africa . . . good thing it doesn't seem to bother Gracie!



I love Gracie's blue eyes in this shot and also noticed Anna's blue eyes in this next one . . .


Happy Friday to all of you!

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Almost Two Months

Anna will be two months this week! I really can't believe it. She is sure a sweet little girl. At her two month appointment yesterday she weighed 10 lbs. 6 oz.





Bubbles for baby sister

Hanging out with Mommy

Gracie now likes to read some books on her own. Here is her version of Goodnight Moon.
Grandma and Grandpa have been here for a visit this past week! We have loved every minute of having them here. Here is a little bit of what we've been up to.

Feeding the fish popcorn at "Crystal Lake"


Reading lots of stories!

Looking at sweet Anna

It was JAARS day on Saturday. We got to see a Helio demonstration. And Steve and Sharon took a helicopter ride.


A new part of the playground opened! Here are some of Gracie's little friends.

There is a new swing that Gracie just loves!