Well, the last two days were definitely back to Earth. Tuesday I spent at the office, actually. I like to do that now and then. Steve was flying all day, so I hung out with Chuck, answered the phone, etc. Today I spent mostly off the computer, cleaning. Our furniture is all still piled in our dining room, so I vacuumed the carpeting up there and then steam cleaned it. Moved some of the furniture back in place. Did the 7 loads of laundry I'd been waiting to catch up on until I could get into the dryer, and finally gave up and did it anyway. Have a bruise or two on my arm from fishing in the dryer at an odd angle. Got the sheets all done and all sorts of stuff! Got the spots out of our back carpeting too while I was at it. Missed about every phone call from every person who called today, and wasn't online after the afternoon. I've found it's good for me to be off-line now and then for a day or afternoon. I get more done and don't get as wound up about things I can't control.
Worked on about 45 medical files tonight, and now I'm going to catch up on my logbook. I must enter P-51 time, you know! :)
Tomorrow it's "Pack up" time for the Eureka trip, and finish a bit of cleaning, and probably go to Muncie to finally pick up the Baron (I hope!!)
Kaylee yesterday was complaining of a headache at the airport. I thought she was making it up to go home. Until she fell asleep in the car on the way home (NEVER happens), and then took a two hour nap, and woke up just burning up. Fever of 102 or better. I gave her some Tylenol, some supper, and she was up until midnight. Woke up feeling fine. This afternoon she said her ear hurt. No fever, but she WAS tired early again, and fell asleep right at 8 pm for once. Just now woke up 90 minutes later, coughing, as I type this. Oooooh, great. Grandma Johnson does not need exposed to a bug. Aw man. Okay, I will hope this is an ear infection or something, or NOTHING.
And that's life right now! Back to Earth, indeed! :)
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Monday, May 29, 2006
The Indy 500 and more...where to start...
This will be long, so grab a refreshment!
Saturday after our practice run, I was kind of pumped up, I couldn't relax, and while I did go to bed early, I couldn't get to sleep. I turned up the volume on my alarm and I double and triple-checked it so I wouldn't accidentally over-sleep!
Sunday I woke up at 5:30 a.m. and could not get back to sleep! So...I laid there for an hour and a half and then went ahead and got up and started getting ready. It was supposed to be even hotter than the day before, so I wore biker shorts under my capris pants, and planned to wear only spandex under my flight suit! I got there in plenty of time, and Nate and I were ready to go. Funnily enough, he'd had the same idea I did about what to wear under the flight suit. I can not begin to describe how hot it is, but I will try later. Anyway, when it was time, we hopped in and headed to Indianapolis International Airport. I even can get in and out of the plane without bruising my knees or looking like an idiot. I can even figure out the harness with a minimum of hassle. ;) I'll tell you what, I just LOVE the smell and sound of that airplane. It just gives me goosebumps. It's so powerful that on take-off roll with full power in, it actually vibrates my eardrums in an almost painful way. I love it. I grin like an idiot every time. I'm glad nobody can see me.
Indianapolis was of course crazy busy, all the jets coming in for the 500 race. We made it in, and sat on the ground for awhile waiting for our turn to go up, get in formation, and get ready to go. One last brief...where to go if the engines failed in flight, where to divert to if there was a problem, where the holding pattern would be, how low everyone would go and how close they would get to each other, etc. Then they told us to "mount up", and away we went! Mustang Flight of Three headed up, and for the next I don't even know how long, did a hold over the city. The air traffic over the track was incredible. Banner towers, helicopters, news, everybody right over the track. We were above them and to the north, but I could see them. I tried to take a picture but it's hard to see them all lined up for a mile or more in the sky. We held in tight formation for a LONG time. I had my fingertips on the throttle and stick so I could feel the inputs during the formation flight, and I focused on the wingtip of the plane next to me and tried to determine speeds, direction, altitude changes, etc. I really enjoyed it, but it was tiring, and it was HOT. And here's why I try to describe hot. First, it was 88 degrees that day, with high humidity. I am wearing a full-length flight suit. In a glass-enclosed cockpit with no shade. At almost high noon. Sitting on an exhaust system. The back seat is warm in the WINTER. In the summer, holy cow. I could literally feel the seat burning my rear end through underwear, biker shorts, and a flight suit. And worst of all, I hadn't had a bite of food since the night before. I couldn't eat breakfast and we were gone from 9 a.m. on. The hot sun, no shade, no food, I was just REALLY hoping I didn't get sick or a migraine, but all I did was sweat. Rivers of sweat. PUDDLES of sweat. It was hard to breathe sometimes. And I didn't care much, let me tell you.
Finally it was our turn to go, and I snapped a photo as we were descending down to the track,
which you can see in this photo, the track is pretty visible though we got much lower as we got closer--and one over my shoulder as we went by, but other than that, I just relaxed and enjoyed the ride, the view, and the experience. I could see the cars on the track, the crowds of people down below, it was amazing. We pulled out, and then circled around awhile longer for Indy's airspace, then went to another airport to get out of the airspace. The three Mustangs flew over Nate's house, with us as the lead plane and both of them off to our right this time, and then the other two peeled off one at a time. Which is an AWESOME sight from the back of the plane. One minute they are feet from your wingtip, and then bam, you are looking at the underside of them as they go screaming up and away from you. After they were clear, we did a "victory roll" (all the way around, upside down, etc. for you non-pilots out there) ourselves. Went and flew over a couple other places to say "hello", then finally made it back to home base. When we got out of the plane, we just kind of collapsed on a couch and chair and laid there for a minute! A big thing of water and a few minutes of winding down, and we put the plane away, wiped all the bugs off of it, changed into regular clothes, and privately enjoyed the memory! I added some photos from the day to http://www.laurastants.com/funflying2.htm. :)
I had brought my bag with me, so next I went to the Bellanca's hanger so I could go join my family in Kentucky. I had Nathan help me pull out the Bellanca, but then things went south again. I couldn't find the key to the plane. Didn't know where they had put it. Nate found that, then he left and went home. I get the plane fueled up, but can't get the gas cap back on. I call Steve, and he and Kaylee were upset because they'd missed the fly-by on TV because of a miscommunication about time zones. Finally get everything back together on the plane, and I sit in the seat, and can't move it forward. I am sweating like crazy again, which makes me very unhappy, and finally I have to get out of the plane and hunt for the seat problem. A knob had come off. I put it back on, fire up the plane, and FINALLY am on my way to Kentucky. Still hadn't had any food. Land in Kentucky, head to the boat, snarf up two brats, and lie down for awhile. I'm hot, I'm exhausted, and I need a little quiet time. :)
Funnily enough, the dock was having a little dock party with wine and good hor dourves (okay, 'snacks' looks better in print). So Steve woke me up and asked if I wanted to go over and get some...I did, and I didn't get two feet before somebody said "Hey! Are you the lady who flew over the Indy 500?" For as long as that party was going, I was talking to somebody about flying, about that particular flight, etc. I couldn't make a trip back to the snack table without being stopped for 15 minutes or more by several people asking me questions. Steve had told one person on the dock and apparently it spread pretty quickly! When I finally made it back to our boat (which was only 3 boats away from the table!!), Steve razzed me and was asking if I'd provide an autograph for them. I did tell people it wasn't my plane! That was the most common question: "Are you in the military??" I'd say "No, these were all privately owned warbirds, and the one I was in is owned by a guy in Kokomo, Indiana." One guy asked me what the service ceiling for the plane was. I said "I take it you're a pilot?" He was, he hadn't flown in about 20 years, he was a Citabria pilot. And one woman there had taken a ground school 20 years ago with her ex-husband. Funny the things you learn about people!
Anyway, so that was the mini celebrity action there, it was kind of fun actually. Embarassing and fun at the same time. Especially since I didn't do a whole lot on that flight. But I DID get to enjoy it more than anybody else up there with me!
I was Soooo exhausted, and I had some wine too, so I went to bed pretty early. So tired. We woke up Monday morning, and relaxed a bit, had breakfast, etc. We had tried to go out on the lake the afternoon before, but unfortunately a bit of smoke that wasn't supposed to be there sent us back to the dock. But it's relaxing to hang out on the deck, in the shade, with air conditioning nearby, and refrigerators. :) Later that afternoon we headed into town to get some ice cream, and the "severe weather warning sirens" were going off right next to us. Yep, plenty of ugly looking storms between us and home. We headed back to the boat, and Steve and I checked weather for awhile, found a decent opening, packed up, and headed to the airport.
Unfortunately, we were on our way there when there was a terrible car accident right in front of us. I mean, just a car or two ahead of us. A truck going in the opposite direction for some reason turned and smashed into the car right ahead of us, sending that car flipping down into the ditch. We hit the brakes, called 911, and Steve and dad jumped out of our car and ran to help. The guy who was hit...who had rolled, he was dead. He hadn't put on his seatbelt, and he was half thrown from the car. I had to stay in our car and keep Kaylee occupied, but man, I wanted to get out and help too. Of course she was my priority at that time, I sure wasn't bringing her with me and I sure wasn't leaving her in the car alone. So Steve and Dad and then a pile of other people came in and helped. Steve and several guys were trying to get the door open on the pickup where there was a wounded woman trapped. Her legs were smashed by the dash, and she was just terrified. Steve said she was begging him to help her, not to leave her, etc. He took her vitals and said she'd be okay, and just stayed with her and tried to help...when the car that was in the ditch caught on fire. People ran for fire extinguishers and finally got that put out, and then help arrived. Ambulances, police, and fire trucks. We were there awhile as they extricated the lady left in the truck, and then finally they sent us on our way. Steve had to wipe that poor woman's blood off of him. It is certainly something to put a damper on any kind of day. One minute you're cruising along fat and happy, and in a matter of seconds, someone dies right in front of you. We saw the cars smashing and flipping and flying, and it was just...sickening. Thank heavens the driver and woman in the truck will probably be fine, but the other man didn't have a chance. Shall we remind people--wear your seat belts??
We had to detour around, but we made it back to the airport much later than expected, did another check on weather and found only two areas to be concerned about. Steve navigated with the weather radar and I flew, and we headed out. Got home with minimal problems, went around some weather, got here and finally ate supper. Kaylee went to sleep almost immediately in there, and I probably will too once I get in bed! What a couple of days. High highs, low lows, it was quite a ride this weekend.
And by the way--I am SO DONE with being HOT and Sweaty for awhile!!
This coming weekend we head to Eureka, Kansas for the annual family reunion! Should be a lot of fun, I can't wait!
Saturday after our practice run, I was kind of pumped up, I couldn't relax, and while I did go to bed early, I couldn't get to sleep. I turned up the volume on my alarm and I double and triple-checked it so I wouldn't accidentally over-sleep!
Sunday I woke up at 5:30 a.m. and could not get back to sleep! So...I laid there for an hour and a half and then went ahead and got up and started getting ready. It was supposed to be even hotter than the day before, so I wore biker shorts under my capris pants, and planned to wear only spandex under my flight suit! I got there in plenty of time, and Nate and I were ready to go. Funnily enough, he'd had the same idea I did about what to wear under the flight suit. I can not begin to describe how hot it is, but I will try later. Anyway, when it was time, we hopped in and headed to Indianapolis International Airport. I even can get in and out of the plane without bruising my knees or looking like an idiot. I can even figure out the harness with a minimum of hassle. ;) I'll tell you what, I just LOVE the smell and sound of that airplane. It just gives me goosebumps. It's so powerful that on take-off roll with full power in, it actually vibrates my eardrums in an almost painful way. I love it. I grin like an idiot every time. I'm glad nobody can see me.
Indianapolis was of course crazy busy, all the jets coming in for the 500 race. We made it in, and sat on the ground for awhile waiting for our turn to go up, get in formation, and get ready to go. One last brief...where to go if the engines failed in flight, where to divert to if there was a problem, where the holding pattern would be, how low everyone would go and how close they would get to each other, etc. Then they told us to "mount up", and away we went! Mustang Flight of Three headed up, and for the next I don't even know how long, did a hold over the city. The air traffic over the track was incredible. Banner towers, helicopters, news, everybody right over the track. We were above them and to the north, but I could see them. I tried to take a picture but it's hard to see them all lined up for a mile or more in the sky. We held in tight formation for a LONG time. I had my fingertips on the throttle and stick so I could feel the inputs during the formation flight, and I focused on the wingtip of the plane next to me and tried to determine speeds, direction, altitude changes, etc. I really enjoyed it, but it was tiring, and it was HOT. And here's why I try to describe hot. First, it was 88 degrees that day, with high humidity. I am wearing a full-length flight suit. In a glass-enclosed cockpit with no shade. At almost high noon. Sitting on an exhaust system. The back seat is warm in the WINTER. In the summer, holy cow. I could literally feel the seat burning my rear end through underwear, biker shorts, and a flight suit. And worst of all, I hadn't had a bite of food since the night before. I couldn't eat breakfast and we were gone from 9 a.m. on. The hot sun, no shade, no food, I was just REALLY hoping I didn't get sick or a migraine, but all I did was sweat. Rivers of sweat. PUDDLES of sweat. It was hard to breathe sometimes. And I didn't care much, let me tell you.
Finally it was our turn to go, and I snapped a photo as we were descending down to the track,
which you can see in this photo, the track is pretty visible though we got much lower as we got closer--and one over my shoulder as we went by, but other than that, I just relaxed and enjoyed the ride, the view, and the experience. I could see the cars on the track, the crowds of people down below, it was amazing. We pulled out, and then circled around awhile longer for Indy's airspace, then went to another airport to get out of the airspace. The three Mustangs flew over Nate's house, with us as the lead plane and both of them off to our right this time, and then the other two peeled off one at a time. Which is an AWESOME sight from the back of the plane. One minute they are feet from your wingtip, and then bam, you are looking at the underside of them as they go screaming up and away from you. After they were clear, we did a "victory roll" (all the way around, upside down, etc. for you non-pilots out there) ourselves. Went and flew over a couple other places to say "hello", then finally made it back to home base. When we got out of the plane, we just kind of collapsed on a couch and chair and laid there for a minute! A big thing of water and a few minutes of winding down, and we put the plane away, wiped all the bugs off of it, changed into regular clothes, and privately enjoyed the memory! I added some photos from the day to http://www.laurastants.com/funflying2.htm. :)I had brought my bag with me, so next I went to the Bellanca's hanger so I could go join my family in Kentucky. I had Nathan help me pull out the Bellanca, but then things went south again. I couldn't find the key to the plane. Didn't know where they had put it. Nate found that, then he left and went home. I get the plane fueled up, but can't get the gas cap back on. I call Steve, and he and Kaylee were upset because they'd missed the fly-by on TV because of a miscommunication about time zones. Finally get everything back together on the plane, and I sit in the seat, and can't move it forward. I am sweating like crazy again, which makes me very unhappy, and finally I have to get out of the plane and hunt for the seat problem. A knob had come off. I put it back on, fire up the plane, and FINALLY am on my way to Kentucky. Still hadn't had any food. Land in Kentucky, head to the boat, snarf up two brats, and lie down for awhile. I'm hot, I'm exhausted, and I need a little quiet time. :)
Funnily enough, the dock was having a little dock party with wine and good hor dourves (okay, 'snacks' looks better in print). So Steve woke me up and asked if I wanted to go over and get some...I did, and I didn't get two feet before somebody said "Hey! Are you the lady who flew over the Indy 500?" For as long as that party was going, I was talking to somebody about flying, about that particular flight, etc. I couldn't make a trip back to the snack table without being stopped for 15 minutes or more by several people asking me questions. Steve had told one person on the dock and apparently it spread pretty quickly! When I finally made it back to our boat (which was only 3 boats away from the table!!), Steve razzed me and was asking if I'd provide an autograph for them. I did tell people it wasn't my plane! That was the most common question: "Are you in the military??" I'd say "No, these were all privately owned warbirds, and the one I was in is owned by a guy in Kokomo, Indiana." One guy asked me what the service ceiling for the plane was. I said "I take it you're a pilot?" He was, he hadn't flown in about 20 years, he was a Citabria pilot. And one woman there had taken a ground school 20 years ago with her ex-husband. Funny the things you learn about people!
Anyway, so that was the mini celebrity action there, it was kind of fun actually. Embarassing and fun at the same time. Especially since I didn't do a whole lot on that flight. But I DID get to enjoy it more than anybody else up there with me!
I was Soooo exhausted, and I had some wine too, so I went to bed pretty early. So tired. We woke up Monday morning, and relaxed a bit, had breakfast, etc. We had tried to go out on the lake the afternoon before, but unfortunately a bit of smoke that wasn't supposed to be there sent us back to the dock. But it's relaxing to hang out on the deck, in the shade, with air conditioning nearby, and refrigerators. :) Later that afternoon we headed into town to get some ice cream, and the "severe weather warning sirens" were going off right next to us. Yep, plenty of ugly looking storms between us and home. We headed back to the boat, and Steve and I checked weather for awhile, found a decent opening, packed up, and headed to the airport.
Unfortunately, we were on our way there when there was a terrible car accident right in front of us. I mean, just a car or two ahead of us. A truck going in the opposite direction for some reason turned and smashed into the car right ahead of us, sending that car flipping down into the ditch. We hit the brakes, called 911, and Steve and dad jumped out of our car and ran to help. The guy who was hit...who had rolled, he was dead. He hadn't put on his seatbelt, and he was half thrown from the car. I had to stay in our car and keep Kaylee occupied, but man, I wanted to get out and help too. Of course she was my priority at that time, I sure wasn't bringing her with me and I sure wasn't leaving her in the car alone. So Steve and Dad and then a pile of other people came in and helped. Steve and several guys were trying to get the door open on the pickup where there was a wounded woman trapped. Her legs were smashed by the dash, and she was just terrified. Steve said she was begging him to help her, not to leave her, etc. He took her vitals and said she'd be okay, and just stayed with her and tried to help...when the car that was in the ditch caught on fire. People ran for fire extinguishers and finally got that put out, and then help arrived. Ambulances, police, and fire trucks. We were there awhile as they extricated the lady left in the truck, and then finally they sent us on our way. Steve had to wipe that poor woman's blood off of him. It is certainly something to put a damper on any kind of day. One minute you're cruising along fat and happy, and in a matter of seconds, someone dies right in front of you. We saw the cars smashing and flipping and flying, and it was just...sickening. Thank heavens the driver and woman in the truck will probably be fine, but the other man didn't have a chance. Shall we remind people--wear your seat belts??
We had to detour around, but we made it back to the airport much later than expected, did another check on weather and found only two areas to be concerned about. Steve navigated with the weather radar and I flew, and we headed out. Got home with minimal problems, went around some weather, got here and finally ate supper. Kaylee went to sleep almost immediately in there, and I probably will too once I get in bed! What a couple of days. High highs, low lows, it was quite a ride this weekend.
And by the way--I am SO DONE with being HOT and Sweaty for awhile!!
This coming weekend we head to Eureka, Kansas for the annual family reunion! Should be a lot of fun, I can't wait!
Saturday, May 27, 2006
The Flight That Almost Wasn't...and Pictures of course!
Well, today was the trial run/practice at Indy, and it was amazing! One of those days where you keep pinching yourself, or looking around and thinking, "Yes, I am actually here, now, doing this." I almost didn't get to do it though. These last 24 hours have been something else.
Steve, Kaylee and I packed bags, and I flew down with them to Kentucky Dam, where Dad & Gayle have a houseboat. I dropped off the family, got in the plane to come back home, and IT WOULDN'T START. We spent all afternoon trying to get it to go, but it was a part we didn't have there. I'm trying to imagine driving home at all hours of the night, whatever it would take. So Steve called up to Kokomo and asked two guys to come get me and bring me home so I would be here this morning to do this flight. They arrived at 10:30 pm or so, and worked on the plane another hour or two and miraculously Steve, Dad and one of the guys finally they got the plane going. Meanwhile of COURSE I have to have gotten a bad headache verging on migraine. The two guys and I flew home--Slowly might I add, I REALLY miss the Baron and the Seneca!--and I walked in my house at 2:45 a.m.. Yes, ma'am. I set my alarm for 7:20 and passed out cold. My alarm woke me up--at 8:15. I was supposed to leave my house at 8:20 to be at the airport in time. At almost 3 a.m. I had set my alarm #2 (the one I never use) instead of alarm #1. Had alarm 2 been set for 12:00 like it normally was after power outages, etc., I'd have slept right through the event. Thank GOD it was set for 8:15. I jumped out of bed like I'd been shot, but I HAD to take a shower because of the long day in the sun I'd had yesterday. I ran around like a crazy woman, threw clothes on, and drove at 80mph out to the airport, to realize I didn't have the gate key. So I ran from the parking lot to the hanger, and arrived sweaty but dead-flat on time. Could I have just a LITTLE more drama for the day?? I was practically jumping out of my skin...after all that, to OVERSLEEP?? Man...
I get there, and he's wearing his flightsuit, so I get mine (thank heavens I remembered to bring it), and it is HOT in there. Long-sleeved, etc. But I'm not complaining! It was foggy in the morning, and while it was clearing slowly, we were legal to get to Indy, and it cleared off as we went. It was a nice and easy flight to Indianapolis International Airport, and we landed just after another of the Mustangs that was coming in.
Once we land, we have a pilot briefing with the Indy 500 Race Tower controller-in-charge-guy, who will be in the Padoga, and all the pilots. There will be 3 Texans (T-6 airplanes, not people from Texas lol), 3 Stearmans, and 3 Mustangs. I'll tell you, it was fascinating (to me and probably ONLY to me) sitting in on that briefing. Discussing frequencies and timing and distance and altitude and planning the runs they were going to make, where we'd all hold until it was our turn, etc. The Indy Padoga guy took names, birthdates and social security numbers to do a background check on the pilots. He told us if we were in El-Caida, we'd best get out of the room now. The planes are also going to be sniffed by bomb-sniffing dogs tomorrow prior to being allowed to fly over the crowd.
Then we went up and practiced. Just the 3 Mustangs went up to do their part, because they're faster than the others and will be a separate flight. The Stearmans and the Texans are going to do 3/4 of a loop around the actual track, and then the Mustangs are going to blow down the straight-away. Man, what a rush. Here are some photos from today!: http://www.laurastants.com/funflying2.htm.
I can't wait for tomorrow! There's only one Mustang that has a silver body with a yellow and black checkered tail and a red nose, so if you see that one, that'll be me. We are scheduled to fly over the track shortly after 11:30 a.m. our time! :)
Steve, Kaylee and I packed bags, and I flew down with them to Kentucky Dam, where Dad & Gayle have a houseboat. I dropped off the family, got in the plane to come back home, and IT WOULDN'T START. We spent all afternoon trying to get it to go, but it was a part we didn't have there. I'm trying to imagine driving home at all hours of the night, whatever it would take. So Steve called up to Kokomo and asked two guys to come get me and bring me home so I would be here this morning to do this flight. They arrived at 10:30 pm or so, and worked on the plane another hour or two and miraculously Steve, Dad and one of the guys finally they got the plane going. Meanwhile of COURSE I have to have gotten a bad headache verging on migraine. The two guys and I flew home--Slowly might I add, I REALLY miss the Baron and the Seneca!--and I walked in my house at 2:45 a.m.. Yes, ma'am. I set my alarm for 7:20 and passed out cold. My alarm woke me up--at 8:15. I was supposed to leave my house at 8:20 to be at the airport in time. At almost 3 a.m. I had set my alarm #2 (the one I never use) instead of alarm #1. Had alarm 2 been set for 12:00 like it normally was after power outages, etc., I'd have slept right through the event. Thank GOD it was set for 8:15. I jumped out of bed like I'd been shot, but I HAD to take a shower because of the long day in the sun I'd had yesterday. I ran around like a crazy woman, threw clothes on, and drove at 80mph out to the airport, to realize I didn't have the gate key. So I ran from the parking lot to the hanger, and arrived sweaty but dead-flat on time. Could I have just a LITTLE more drama for the day?? I was practically jumping out of my skin...after all that, to OVERSLEEP?? Man...
I get there, and he's wearing his flightsuit, so I get mine (thank heavens I remembered to bring it), and it is HOT in there. Long-sleeved, etc. But I'm not complaining! It was foggy in the morning, and while it was clearing slowly, we were legal to get to Indy, and it cleared off as we went. It was a nice and easy flight to Indianapolis International Airport, and we landed just after another of the Mustangs that was coming in.
Once we land, we have a pilot briefing with the Indy 500 Race Tower controller-in-charge-guy, who will be in the Padoga, and all the pilots. There will be 3 Texans (T-6 airplanes, not people from Texas lol), 3 Stearmans, and 3 Mustangs. I'll tell you, it was fascinating (to me and probably ONLY to me) sitting in on that briefing. Discussing frequencies and timing and distance and altitude and planning the runs they were going to make, where we'd all hold until it was our turn, etc. The Indy Padoga guy took names, birthdates and social security numbers to do a background check on the pilots. He told us if we were in El-Caida, we'd best get out of the room now. The planes are also going to be sniffed by bomb-sniffing dogs tomorrow prior to being allowed to fly over the crowd.
Then we went up and practiced. Just the 3 Mustangs went up to do their part, because they're faster than the others and will be a separate flight. The Stearmans and the Texans are going to do 3/4 of a loop around the actual track, and then the Mustangs are going to blow down the straight-away. Man, what a rush. Here are some photos from today!: http://www.laurastants.com/funflying2.htm.
I can't wait for tomorrow! There's only one Mustang that has a silver body with a yellow and black checkered tail and a red nose, so if you see that one, that'll be me. We are scheduled to fly over the track shortly after 11:30 a.m. our time! :)
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Let's see....whatever could I talk about today??
I know!
We hung out at the airport for awhile today. I went to lunch with Kaylee, Nate and Chuck. (Steve had to fly). By the way, while I was at lunch, I learned that on Sunday I get to fly over the Indianapolis Speedway in the pre-race kick-off in the Mustang. Did I mention that? Hey, this is for posterity now! Saturday we get to fly over and practice, and then Sunday we get to fly over the Indy 500 race, in formation flight with 3 other Mustangs. Now is that incredible or what?! I'm packing my camera, I'm zipping up my flight suit, I'm raring to go! I'm going to be 80 years old saying "You know, sonny, when I was 34, I got to fly over the Indianapolis 500 race in a formation flight of P-51 Mustangs." Yep. Definitely something to remember...
Worked on 68 medical files, may have killed some files on accident. I hope not but I'll find out soon. You know, who cares? Did I mention I get to go fly in a P-51 over the Indy 500 race? That I'll hopefully see us on TV later that evening when they run the race here? (They always black out the race locally to try to force people to buy tickets to the actual event, then run it later.)
Yep. Now this is a good day. :)
We hung out at the airport for awhile today. I went to lunch with Kaylee, Nate and Chuck. (Steve had to fly). By the way, while I was at lunch, I learned that on Sunday I get to fly over the Indianapolis Speedway in the pre-race kick-off in the Mustang. Did I mention that? Hey, this is for posterity now! Saturday we get to fly over and practice, and then Sunday we get to fly over the Indy 500 race, in formation flight with 3 other Mustangs. Now is that incredible or what?! I'm packing my camera, I'm zipping up my flight suit, I'm raring to go! I'm going to be 80 years old saying "You know, sonny, when I was 34, I got to fly over the Indianapolis 500 race in a formation flight of P-51 Mustangs." Yep. Definitely something to remember...
Worked on 68 medical files, may have killed some files on accident. I hope not but I'll find out soon. You know, who cares? Did I mention I get to go fly in a P-51 over the Indy 500 race? That I'll hopefully see us on TV later that evening when they run the race here? (They always black out the race locally to try to force people to buy tickets to the actual event, then run it later.)
Yep. Now this is a good day. :)
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Kaylee-isms and Serious Stuff
And a Happy 10th Anniversary to Steve and myself! Ten years seems odd to me, I'm still young enough where that seems like a big number I guess. Which is funny and I know it. :)
Sometimes I forget to put down the little things that amuse me at the time and then they're gone. I don't know if this is funny to anybody else, but Kaylee is a child who eats non-stop, all day long, huge amounts of food. And if she goes very long without eating, she becomes cranky, almost down-right mean, and she goes crazy. So the other night we told her dinner would be ready at 6 pm. By 5:40 she was hungry, and she was NOT happy about waiting. I made her wait anyway. By six pm she was pinging off of the walls and floor, and when the food wasn't quite ready, she pitched a fit. Finally she went to lie down on the couch, curled herself in a ball and said "Mommy, I HAVE to EAT or I'm GOING to DIE!" I laughed and said "No, you are not going to die." "Yes I am Mommy, if I don't eat, I will DIE!" I said "Kaylee, it would take you days and days to die from not eating, not an hour!" "Nuh-uh, Mommy, I am DYING!" When the food was done, and Grandpa came over bearing dishes, she just about attacked him, and then she wolfed down an entire plate of food as if it had been days since she ate--not a couple of hours. She's a pistol, that one.
The other day in the car with Grandpa & Grandma, I can't remember how they said the topic of conversation came up, but Kaylee said "When I grow up, I'm going to marry a good man like my daddy, or like my grandpa." I hope so honey!
-----------------------------------------------------
Today's Oprah was about Auschwich and was definitely not a show to let Kaylee see, so I sent her outside while I watched. Talk about a rough one. It reminds me that a picture is worth a thousand words, whether it be a picture of what is left of human beings, or a picture of children's shoes in a giant pile, the pretty pink sandals sitting on top looking exactly like something my child would love, like something some little girl felt like a princess wearing.
Some things the Auschwich survivor going through the facilities with Oprah said stuck with me. He said "The death of one child is indescribable. How could we then understand the death of millions?" He's right. I know how I feel at the death of one child, but sometimes when you try to multiply that out into that kind of scheme, it's too much, it's too big, and your mind can't wrap around it. I see names on suitcases written by families assuming they would get them back; they describe the women and children going off to the "showers". I didn't actually water up until he said that the young mothers could have survived and been part of the 'work crew', but they never did, because the babies were always sent straight to the incinerator-and the mothers wouldn't leave their babies behind. He also spoke about how so many were dying and hurting and nobody could hear them, he said that he's spent his life writing books, that it's not enough, that he is helpless in the face of tragedies then and now, and all he can do is use his words to scream at the world, and that most don't listen. It's the same on a much bigger scale than what most of us know, but I can relate just a teeny little bit to that sentence...there's just too much. Too many people shouting about too many horrors and you just can't hear them all. It's also why it is so important to me to focus on the GOOD, too. The joys, the beauty, the optimistic things. It's good to be informed and help where you can, to make a difference and have a cause; but if you're not careful, there is enough bad that soon it can be all you can see, until it buries you alive. Melodramatic, but accurate. It's why I can't focus on many diseases or causes outside of SMA. SMA by itself is enough of a burden, a cause, and these babies and their horrified and desperate families certainly need the champions. Willing or not, knowingly or not, I was brought into this corner and I just try to do my part in it. The rest of the world's tragedies will have to find their own champions...and usually do.
I wish I could get Oprah to do a show on SMA children. One family's story, one child's face, one small group's grass-roots efforts...translated into thousands of children and even diseases around the world...
Anyway, after all that, I'm going to eat some supper, work on some medical files, prepare to send out some SMA equipment, write back a couple of SMA people who have asked questions, and listen to Kaylee playing in the back yard with her friend. The good stuff. :)
Sometimes I forget to put down the little things that amuse me at the time and then they're gone. I don't know if this is funny to anybody else, but Kaylee is a child who eats non-stop, all day long, huge amounts of food. And if she goes very long without eating, she becomes cranky, almost down-right mean, and she goes crazy. So the other night we told her dinner would be ready at 6 pm. By 5:40 she was hungry, and she was NOT happy about waiting. I made her wait anyway. By six pm she was pinging off of the walls and floor, and when the food wasn't quite ready, she pitched a fit. Finally she went to lie down on the couch, curled herself in a ball and said "Mommy, I HAVE to EAT or I'm GOING to DIE!" I laughed and said "No, you are not going to die." "Yes I am Mommy, if I don't eat, I will DIE!" I said "Kaylee, it would take you days and days to die from not eating, not an hour!" "Nuh-uh, Mommy, I am DYING!" When the food was done, and Grandpa came over bearing dishes, she just about attacked him, and then she wolfed down an entire plate of food as if it had been days since she ate--not a couple of hours. She's a pistol, that one.
The other day in the car with Grandpa & Grandma, I can't remember how they said the topic of conversation came up, but Kaylee said "When I grow up, I'm going to marry a good man like my daddy, or like my grandpa." I hope so honey!
-----------------------------------------------------
Today's Oprah was about Auschwich and was definitely not a show to let Kaylee see, so I sent her outside while I watched. Talk about a rough one. It reminds me that a picture is worth a thousand words, whether it be a picture of what is left of human beings, or a picture of children's shoes in a giant pile, the pretty pink sandals sitting on top looking exactly like something my child would love, like something some little girl felt like a princess wearing.
Some things the Auschwich survivor going through the facilities with Oprah said stuck with me. He said "The death of one child is indescribable. How could we then understand the death of millions?" He's right. I know how I feel at the death of one child, but sometimes when you try to multiply that out into that kind of scheme, it's too much, it's too big, and your mind can't wrap around it. I see names on suitcases written by families assuming they would get them back; they describe the women and children going off to the "showers". I didn't actually water up until he said that the young mothers could have survived and been part of the 'work crew', but they never did, because the babies were always sent straight to the incinerator-and the mothers wouldn't leave their babies behind. He also spoke about how so many were dying and hurting and nobody could hear them, he said that he's spent his life writing books, that it's not enough, that he is helpless in the face of tragedies then and now, and all he can do is use his words to scream at the world, and that most don't listen. It's the same on a much bigger scale than what most of us know, but I can relate just a teeny little bit to that sentence...there's just too much. Too many people shouting about too many horrors and you just can't hear them all. It's also why it is so important to me to focus on the GOOD, too. The joys, the beauty, the optimistic things. It's good to be informed and help where you can, to make a difference and have a cause; but if you're not careful, there is enough bad that soon it can be all you can see, until it buries you alive. Melodramatic, but accurate. It's why I can't focus on many diseases or causes outside of SMA. SMA by itself is enough of a burden, a cause, and these babies and their horrified and desperate families certainly need the champions. Willing or not, knowingly or not, I was brought into this corner and I just try to do my part in it. The rest of the world's tragedies will have to find their own champions...and usually do.
I wish I could get Oprah to do a show on SMA children. One family's story, one child's face, one small group's grass-roots efforts...translated into thousands of children and even diseases around the world...
Anyway, after all that, I'm going to eat some supper, work on some medical files, prepare to send out some SMA equipment, write back a couple of SMA people who have asked questions, and listen to Kaylee playing in the back yard with her friend. The good stuff. :)
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Miracles
In just the last few weeks I've learned that something is definitely in the water! Thile is pregnant with #2, Stephanie pregnant with #1, Anita pregnant with #4, Aprill pregnant with #2, an SMA mom is pregnant after IVF with #3, and now Miss Heather is pregnant with #5. For at least three of these moms, this has been a long-awaited and painful road. Years of infertility in some cases, the spector of SMA in one case. Many tears shed and many prayers said over many years. Now there are tears of happiness instead...I think one could fairly say that this is the month for miracles...congratulations my friends, I am so thankful!
Today Richard and Ann went to the cemetery with Kaylee while Steve and I were out flying, and they decorated the graves for Memorial Day. Kaylee put two little pinwheels up for each of her brothers. She said the sun was shining so brightly and when it hit the pinwheels it looked like they were flashing and sparkling in the light. Kaylee said that her brothers had the best decorated gravesites out there and that you could see them all the way from the road, sparkling in the sun. I'm glad...
Today Richard and Ann went to the cemetery with Kaylee while Steve and I were out flying, and they decorated the graves for Memorial Day. Kaylee put two little pinwheels up for each of her brothers. She said the sun was shining so brightly and when it hit the pinwheels it looked like they were flashing and sparkling in the light. Kaylee said that her brothers had the best decorated gravesites out there and that you could see them all the way from the road, sparkling in the sun. I'm glad...
Monday, May 22, 2006
Computers computers computers
Today I was catching up on medical files, and ended up doing over 80 of them today. And I have a lot more to do, too!
Uncle Hank stretched our carpeting in the front half of the house and it looks great! Steve flew all day, and I just worked from home.
And Stephanie is pregnant! Todd & Steph's baby is due the day after Kaylee's birthday. I think that's perfect. :)
That's about it! Short and sweet tonight! (I'm fighting off cheesecake cravings right now!)
Uncle Hank stretched our carpeting in the front half of the house and it looks great! Steve flew all day, and I just worked from home.
And Stephanie is pregnant! Todd & Steph's baby is due the day after Kaylee's birthday. I think that's perfect. :)
That's about it! Short and sweet tonight! (I'm fighting off cheesecake cravings right now!)
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Playing Catch-Up
Friday-I spent most of the day out at the airport because it was Lunch Day, of course! Even if I couldn't go to Cincinnati it was a nice day. :) Chuck and I took the Baron around to all the Poker Run airports and dropped off the cards in envelopes, and made the Poker Run a day early to see how long it took and stuff. There was one airport (Wabash) that has a huge hand-painted mural on one wall of their entire city...painted by a 76-year-old woman. VERY neat. Then we went to Muncie and dropped off the Baron to have traffic installed, and we flew home in the Cheyenne with Nate. Back out to Glenndale to try to help set up a bit for the Poker Run fundraiser to be held Saturday. By the way, a few days earlier, Kaylee decided to do her make-up. She's never used my eye make-up before but today she decided to give it a try. Here's a photo of the results--BEFORE I tried to wash it off and couldn't. By the end of the day she looked like something very dark and scary. She thought she was beautiful, so I had to gently try to explain the merits of "less is more" in beauty products. My my that conversation has come around early!Friday night around 9 pm, Grandma & Grandpa Chiles made it! We stayed up too late, then the boys had to get up early to be out at Glenndale by 7 a.m. while we ladies slept in until 8:30-ish. Ahhhhh. Then we got up and got ready and headed out to the airport for a donut, milk, OJ and a Poker Run. The day was the first pretty day we've had in 2 weeks, it was perfect. Turn-out was kind of low for such a pretty day, but those of us who went had a nice time. Kaylee got to run around with friends Jamie, Grace, Emily & Lauren. Chuck and I did the Poker Run again for the fun of it in the Citabria this time, which took a lot longer than it did in the Baron! Ha. I didn't have any kind of decent hand at all. Figures. (You fly to 4 different airports other than home base, and pick up a sealed card in an envelope at each one. Open your 5 envelopes when you get back to home base, and best hand wins. Proceeds to charity, of course). Sarah and I went in the Citabria for a quick flight to Sheridan and back. On the way in, I called "final for 23 at Sheridan" and some guy got on the radio and said "Hey Bob, can you believe that, there's a girl using the radio" or something like that. I didn't recognize the voice--found out later it was Charlie Brier, the bugger. Getting out of the Citabria I smacked my right knee again and bruised it again. I need one knee pad I believe! Made a nice landing back at Glenndale (thankfully). Hung out for awhile, and then Nathan wanted to go fly, so I flew him in the Citabria back to Kokomo to pick up the Cheyenne. Thankfully made another good landing at Kokomo with him in the back. I'm still kind of new to the Citabria having only flown it 3 or 4 times, so taking it up in front of a crowd and with "the boss" in the back is slightly nerve-wracking to me, but oh well. :)
We hopped in the Cheyenne, and did a low pass at Glenndale. Now that's fun, I don't care Who you are. :) Steve was standing at the end of the runway to take a photo, so we stayed a little higher than planned. When we climbed out, we were at 5,500 before we headed back to Kokomo. Amazing plane. We were heading back to practice some take offs and landings, and I said that I hope the Poker Run was successful, and Nate said "Why don't we go do the Poker Run in this?" So we did! It was really funny, actually, we timed it. We did the whole run in under 30 minutes, not counting the 7 minutes that a C-150 cost us when it got in front of us on final at one airport and made us circle until it was all the way down. Nathan left the engines running, while I climbed out of the cockpit and ran to the back of the plane where the door is, unsealed it (which took a lot of muscle by the way), ran down the steps, grabbed the poker card, ran back to the plane, pulled the door shut and sealed it (more muscles) and climbed back into the cockpit as fast as I could, plugged in the next destination in the GPS, and buckled back in. It took us about 4 or 6 minutes to get from one airport to another on one leg. There were open jaws most of the time when I got out and ran for a card. Sheridan has a skinny runway, and we landed and were off at the intersection, and a row of guys was there watching and taking pictures. The first Cheyenne 400 in there for sure. lol I got the card and Jeff was just laughing, he thought it was great. Turning around at the end of the runway was a trick, there is no extra space for that, but Nate managed it and we were out of there. Back to Kokomo, put away the Cheyenne, and back in the Citabria for my turn to take us back to Glenndale. Didn't set my trim before take off and didn't have an ultra smooth one, but not bad. Nice landing back in public thankfully again. Ha. That was kind of fun.Later Dale wanted me to go up in his SuperCub, and I thought I was just going for a ride, but he wanted me to fly. Nice airplane and I'm happy that it has flaps for me. :) I made three nice landings, but unfortunately about ground-looped when I turned around after the first landing. Stupid to turn that fast. I've managed to avoid that from my first hour in tail-draggers and ended up doing a donut with Dale. Blah. I announced that the pattern was clear at Glenndale and
kept going, didn't do THAT again of course. :) Then he took up Ernie and flew around for awhile.We sat around a fire for awhile after that, the kids played, and finally we got home and crashed, smelling like smoke, pretty late. Kaylee passed out on mom, who was pretty droopy herself. :) Everybody got a little too much sun except for me. Not sure how I managed to be the one person to not get sunburned, but I'm glad!
Sunday: Steve had to get up early to fly again (yuck!) but the rest of us slept in decently I think. Breakfast, play time, and then Mom & Ernie headed out to go home. Steve, Kaylee and I went to Glenndale for lunch leftovers and to pick up a car, and then came home and didn't move off the couch for 3 hours. We crashed. We're Still tired!! I think everybody is. Kaylee is now visiting with her Aunt Ruth and Uncle Hank who are here visiting, and I'm getting ready to sit some more and watch CSI or something.
I'm trying to do laundry, which is difficult with all our furniture piled in front of the washer and drier. The washer I can reach. The dryer--not so much. The furniture is there so we can stretch the carpeting in the front half of the house.
And tomorrow is another day!
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Phoo!
Well, if Bush was ever my favorite, he's not now! A Presidential Visit in the Ohio area has killed the fly-by portion of the airshow over there. So my fun day in my new flight suit in the P-51 has been cancelled. Blah! Oh well, it was fun thinking about it anyway. :)
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Wednesday
I got up early, and thought I wouldn't be flying after all. Kokomo was 0-0, better known as "FOG". :) I looked up Bloomington (my destination) and IT said Fog too. Until I realized I was looking at Bloomington, Indiana instead of Bloomington, Illinois. Thankfully, Illinois was actually clear. So off Alan and I went to Bloomington, then Peoria, for a Pizza Hut flight. It was actually a very pretty flight there. On the way home, thunderstorms were firing up all over the place, in every direction. The Nexrad on the plane was perfect, helped me see the weather very clearly in relation to my path. It was like a path was open from where we were to where we were going. It was clear on a straight shot home, but there were storms on all other sides, literally. It was interesting! I landed and got the plane put away before the closest one got to Kokomo.
But this morning I had something gross happen. The hanger door squished a bird on its way up; it was trapped and screeching and I had to pry it out of the door alive, with it biting and literally squealing. When it hit the ground it was squished in the back third of it. It somehow dragged itself a few feet to the sunshine, sat in a hole in the grass, and stared at the sky. When I left it was still alive, but no matter how merciful I wanted to be, I could NOT step on its head. Couldn't bring myself do it. I do have my feminine limits. The one day having a guy there would have been handy for sure, I have to get the poor bird. ;) But when I got gas, I did tell the airport guy that it was there and to go mercy kill it--after I was gone. Groooosssss.
Then, last night I had a call that the medical files thing was going to continue at least another 6 months. So we're back in "business" for awhile anyway, and I did about 40 of those tonight as well.
Tomorrow I have a meeting at 8 a.m. (WHOSE Idea Was That Time Frame??) about doing a non-profit website for a local organization in return for free promotion. I don't have a clue who these people are, don't have a clue what I'm supposed to say at this meeting, don't have a clue what is expected of me, and do NOT want to do this. But I'm in it now, by golly. So tomorrow I'll dress up and show up and try to wing it. I'm SO good at winging it at 8 a.m. you know. (Sarcasm inserted here).
Yesterday Kaylee put my makeup on big-time. She had mascara and all smeared around her entire eyes, and looked very frightening. And we couldn't get it off. We rubbed her cheeks a bit raw I'm afraid. I let her wear it around the house all day, and then couldn't get it off! She thought she looked beautiful, so I just tried to nicely tell her that less is more beautiful sometimes. :)
Now me and my headache are headed to bed. I'll let you know how tomorrow's meeting goes. Oh, and we moved all the furniture out of the front half of the house and into the kitchen, so the house is a disaster area times two. We're going to get the carpeting up there stretched--it is sagging badly in a couple of places....
NOW to bed!
But this morning I had something gross happen. The hanger door squished a bird on its way up; it was trapped and screeching and I had to pry it out of the door alive, with it biting and literally squealing. When it hit the ground it was squished in the back third of it. It somehow dragged itself a few feet to the sunshine, sat in a hole in the grass, and stared at the sky. When I left it was still alive, but no matter how merciful I wanted to be, I could NOT step on its head. Couldn't bring myself do it. I do have my feminine limits. The one day having a guy there would have been handy for sure, I have to get the poor bird. ;) But when I got gas, I did tell the airport guy that it was there and to go mercy kill it--after I was gone. Groooosssss.
Then, last night I had a call that the medical files thing was going to continue at least another 6 months. So we're back in "business" for awhile anyway, and I did about 40 of those tonight as well.
Tomorrow I have a meeting at 8 a.m. (WHOSE Idea Was That Time Frame??) about doing a non-profit website for a local organization in return for free promotion. I don't have a clue who these people are, don't have a clue what I'm supposed to say at this meeting, don't have a clue what is expected of me, and do NOT want to do this. But I'm in it now, by golly. So tomorrow I'll dress up and show up and try to wing it. I'm SO good at winging it at 8 a.m. you know. (Sarcasm inserted here).
Yesterday Kaylee put my makeup on big-time. She had mascara and all smeared around her entire eyes, and looked very frightening. And we couldn't get it off. We rubbed her cheeks a bit raw I'm afraid. I let her wear it around the house all day, and then couldn't get it off! She thought she looked beautiful, so I just tried to nicely tell her that less is more beautiful sometimes. :)
Now me and my headache are headed to bed. I'll let you know how tomorrow's meeting goes. Oh, and we moved all the furniture out of the front half of the house and into the kitchen, so the house is a disaster area times two. We're going to get the carpeting up there stretched--it is sagging badly in a couple of places....
NOW to bed!
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Today
Normally every year I write something out for Devon's birthday. Memories, or thoughts I am having. But this year I'm not going to...instead I would just like to thank everyone for their thoughts for us and him today. Thank you to Richard & Ann for always taking a special gift to the local hospital where Devon was admitted, to be given to an afraid child in the ER. Thank you to the hopsital for doing it. And thank you to all the people who let us know that they still remember. It was the one thing I asked for at Devon's funeral--for people to remember. Thank you for keeping that as sacredly as I meant it.
http://www.our-sma-angels.com/devon/visitor.html
I wanted to share some of the notes...I can't post them all. Isn't that wonderful?
A wonderful HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MR. Devon Stants, he was and Laura still is (& the rest of the stants bunch in IN ;) an inspiration.He gave us hope for my little ok BIG boy Jarred!If it weren't for Laura and everyone involved, her wonderful husband & daugter....the life-saving information and forums and facilities wouldn't be possible for Jarred to be thriving today!A hug & kiss to you Laura! We'll light a candle tonite and say a special something for Devon, the angel with proud wings!!! Nadine
Happy Birthday Angel Devon. I hope you are enjoying angel cake with all the other Angels. You have a very wonderful Mommy that helps so many kids with SMA you can be so proud of her. Her heart is a very good heart. God Bless you little guy!! Jeanna, Christen and Elizabeth
Happy Birthday hugs from here to heaven to you Devon. hugs, Peg
Laura, your son's pictures really touch me, as he reminds me so much of my little Chase. A Happy birthday to your little angel in heaven. Sherry
Thinking of you on Devon's Birthdate. Jim & Kathy
Hi Laura.....just wanted to let you know we were thinking of you today.... hugs...Stacey
Dear Devon, Happy Birthday! I'm sure I don't need to tell you what a remarkable woman your mother is, or what a great father you have, and I'm sure that you are as proud as can be of both of them. I just wanted you to know that I am so grateful to have met them both, and I'm amazed every day at the things they have accomplished in your memory. Big hugs from Piedmont to Heaven! Love, Andrea
Happy Birthday going out to Devon!!! Love, Jason, Kelly, and Ethan
We're sending you many Happy Birthday wishes today Devon! Keep shining that beautiful soul of yours. You've made such a mark in this world and continue to touch so many...so many. Much love to you and your beautiful family. Lisa
Lots of BIG Happy Birthday wishes to Devon. Sending lots of warm thoughts and hugs to Laura and family. I am sure there is a big party going on in heaven today. Debby & Veronica
Thinking of you and your family. Happy Heavenly Birthday, Angel Devon!!! Doddie
Happy birthday Devon! We are thinking of you and your wonderful mommy. Sending you hugs Laura. Emily & Aubrey
Happy Birthday Devon! We are thinking of you & your family today. Andrea, Doug, Sophia & Lila
Happy angel Birthday Devon, and a big hug to your family. Connie
Laura we are thinking of you on Devons Birthday. I can imagine the party they are all having up there! Hugs Ange
WE are sending YOU tons of hugs and kisses today - to you and your family. To Devon - we are sending Heavenly Hugs -- please shower your mommy with signs that you are celebrating with all of your Angel Friends. Happy Birthday Devon. Kim S.
Happy Birthday up in Heaven Devon! Hope you're having a fantastic party!! Be sure to send your mom lots of hugs and kisses today!! Kelly
Just wanted to let you know we're thinking about you today and wishing Devon a Happy Birthday! Sending you all lots of love. Lisa
Happy 8th Birthday, little Devon. Your mom and dad miss you SOOOO much. And I wish I would have gotten a chance to know you. Have a great heavenly birthday. Love, Heather
Happy Birthday dear Devon... Kavitha & Pranav
Just wanted you to know I'm thinking of you today.... Happy Birthday Devon! Hugs, Pam
Happy heavenly birthday Devon! Michelle
Happy Birthday to Devon Stants and Erinne Williams!Laura and Steve....I will be thinking of you both today, I know how tough those birthday's can be. I can hardly believe that Devon is 8 years old! Devon....I know you are having quite the celebration there in Heaven...send some signs to you Mom and Dad.......we love your family! Amy, Lily and Angel Nathan
Happy Birthday to two very special people today: Devon Stants and Erinne Williams! Devon, we hope you are having a happy birthday today in Heaven with your little brother and our other precious angels. Please send your Mommy, Daddy and Kaylee sweet angel hugs and kisses...more so today than all the other days :) Laura and Steve...I am thinking lots about you today. Big hugs coming your way...
http://www.our-sma-angels.com/devon/visitor.html
I wanted to share some of the notes...I can't post them all. Isn't that wonderful?
A wonderful HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MR. Devon Stants, he was and Laura still is (& the rest of the stants bunch in IN ;) an inspiration.He gave us hope for my little ok BIG boy Jarred!If it weren't for Laura and everyone involved, her wonderful husband & daugter....the life-saving information and forums and facilities wouldn't be possible for Jarred to be thriving today!A hug & kiss to you Laura! We'll light a candle tonite and say a special something for Devon, the angel with proud wings!!! Nadine
Happy Birthday Angel Devon. I hope you are enjoying angel cake with all the other Angels. You have a very wonderful Mommy that helps so many kids with SMA you can be so proud of her. Her heart is a very good heart. God Bless you little guy!! Jeanna, Christen and Elizabeth
Happy Birthday hugs from here to heaven to you Devon. hugs, Peg
Laura, your son's pictures really touch me, as he reminds me so much of my little Chase. A Happy birthday to your little angel in heaven. Sherry
Thinking of you on Devon's Birthdate. Jim & Kathy
Hi Laura.....just wanted to let you know we were thinking of you today.... hugs...Stacey
Dear Devon, Happy Birthday! I'm sure I don't need to tell you what a remarkable woman your mother is, or what a great father you have, and I'm sure that you are as proud as can be of both of them. I just wanted you to know that I am so grateful to have met them both, and I'm amazed every day at the things they have accomplished in your memory. Big hugs from Piedmont to Heaven! Love, Andrea
Happy Birthday going out to Devon!!! Love, Jason, Kelly, and Ethan
We're sending you many Happy Birthday wishes today Devon! Keep shining that beautiful soul of yours. You've made such a mark in this world and continue to touch so many...so many. Much love to you and your beautiful family. Lisa
Lots of BIG Happy Birthday wishes to Devon. Sending lots of warm thoughts and hugs to Laura and family. I am sure there is a big party going on in heaven today. Debby & Veronica
Thinking of you and your family. Happy Heavenly Birthday, Angel Devon!!! Doddie
Happy birthday Devon! We are thinking of you and your wonderful mommy. Sending you hugs Laura. Emily & Aubrey
Happy Birthday Devon! We are thinking of you & your family today. Andrea, Doug, Sophia & Lila
Happy angel Birthday Devon, and a big hug to your family. Connie
Laura we are thinking of you on Devons Birthday. I can imagine the party they are all having up there! Hugs Ange
WE are sending YOU tons of hugs and kisses today - to you and your family. To Devon - we are sending Heavenly Hugs -- please shower your mommy with signs that you are celebrating with all of your Angel Friends. Happy Birthday Devon. Kim S.
Happy Birthday up in Heaven Devon! Hope you're having a fantastic party!! Be sure to send your mom lots of hugs and kisses today!! Kelly
Just wanted to let you know we're thinking about you today and wishing Devon a Happy Birthday! Sending you all lots of love. Lisa
Happy 8th Birthday, little Devon. Your mom and dad miss you SOOOO much. And I wish I would have gotten a chance to know you. Have a great heavenly birthday. Love, Heather
Happy Birthday dear Devon... Kavitha & Pranav
Just wanted you to know I'm thinking of you today.... Happy Birthday Devon! Hugs, Pam
Happy heavenly birthday Devon! Michelle
Happy Birthday to Devon Stants and Erinne Williams!Laura and Steve....I will be thinking of you both today, I know how tough those birthday's can be. I can hardly believe that Devon is 8 years old! Devon....I know you are having quite the celebration there in Heaven...send some signs to you Mom and Dad.......we love your family! Amy, Lily and Angel Nathan
Happy Birthday to two very special people today: Devon Stants and Erinne Williams! Devon, we hope you are having a happy birthday today in Heaven with your little brother and our other precious angels. Please send your Mommy, Daddy and Kaylee sweet angel hugs and kisses...more so today than all the other days :) Laura and Steve...I am thinking lots about you today. Big hugs coming your way...
I am also thinking about our angel hero Mr. Devon Stants and his dear mom and dad. Devon I know you will be sending thembirthday kisses from heaven big guy. Eight years, my goodness...Much love,Grandma Sallie
Devon! Wishing you a heavenly birthday! Have a great party with all your angel friends! I hope you like lilacs. They are in bloom here so I picked a purple one and put it by your picture. I took a picture of it so I will send it to your mommy. Happy birthday, big guy! Sue & Family
DEVON STANTS, what a big boy you must be by now! Happy 8th Birthday, buddy! Watch for those yellow smiley face balloons to drift up -- if this darn rain ever stops! We'd love it if you could send a little bit o'sunshine today, 'kay? XOXOXOXOX Erinne & Suzanne
Monday, May 15, 2006
Mother's Day and Today...
I'm playing a bit of catch-up, aren't I!
Well, Mother's Day I slept in, and I mean IN! I didn't get up until after 11 a.m.! That's terrible, but it did feel good. :) Then I got ready, and Kaylee gave me her present. I'm going to have to get a picture of it and the flowers Steve gave me, because they are beautiful...
Afterwards, I left the house, and went to see Mission Impossible III by myself. Now I enjoyed that! I went to the bookstore and picked up a novel (it was good, too!), then sat in a coffee shop and had a Cafe Mocha and read a book for awhile. Finally I packed it up, and by then it was raining again, so I sat in my car in the park in the rain with the engine off, finished my novel, and headed home. It was a quiet Mother's Day, but it really felt very nice. If I'm alone, I'm usually on my way to or from something, or working on something on line, or watching a show, but I NEVER just have a few hours to myself guilt-free to do nothing but relax, and it was a terrific Mother's Day present.
It was also a time I spent reflecting on Mother's Days past. The Mother's Day when I was pregnant with Devon, and he was due at any moment, and I was in a restaurant and a man who was handing out carnations to the moms in the restaurant came up to me, smiled and said "Your baby may not be here yet, but I can tell by your eyes that you are already a Mother. Happy Mother's Day." and handed me a carnation. I suppose it was hormones, but it actually made me cry when I got home, and put it in a vase on my counter. Devon was born before that flower died. The next Mother's Day was my only Mother's Day with my son. He was almost a year old, and I had been told he wouldn't make it there, and he was doing pretty well. I just knew they were wrong, and that I had a lot of time. In reality I had less than a month with him, but I'm glad I didn't know. I was pregnant with his little brother, and he was doing okay, and the sun was shining, and we strapped Devon in his car seat into the back compartment of our Corvette. We decided a car accident was the least of our worries. We took him for a ride, and then we had a picnic at a little reservoir around here. Afterwards we went to the airport and took him up for a plane ride. He was funny. I flew while I was pregnant with him, constantly. In fact, the last time I flew was only 3 days before he was born. I think I spent so much time in planes with him in the womb, that it soothed him. As soon as the engines would start up, that little boy would fall asleep before we'd even left the ground. He did that day as well, and I just watched him sleep as we floated over central Indiana. We landed, went home, had a nice evening, and I told him that next year he'd better stay awake on my special day. Of course I never got to have another with him here. By the next Mother's Day I had lost two boys and had a miscarriage, and I stayed in the house and pretended like it didn't bother me that I wasn't really a "mother" to the world. Kaylee of course came along, but she isn't my only child, and I am not "just" her mother. But I sure am thankful she is here to celebrate with me. :)
Today I got up a bit early, and headed to Kalamazoo, Michigan for a flight for Pizza Hut. Chuck came with me. The weather was blah again. Fairly low ceilings, rain, etc. So it didn't make for a beautiful flight, but the mission was accomplished. While we were there, we went to what is called the "Air Zoo". It's a SPECTACULAR museum. I can't even begin to describe it. It is like a fairyland for aviation fans. I have lots of pictures but don't want to put them all here, so I'll probably put them up on the "Fun Flying Pics" Page up at www.laurastants.com. Check them out! This one is just of me standing in front of a huge wall mural of a hot air balloon. The continuing Adventures of Chuck & Laura. Ha
Well, Mother's Day I slept in, and I mean IN! I didn't get up until after 11 a.m.! That's terrible, but it did feel good. :) Then I got ready, and Kaylee gave me her present. I'm going to have to get a picture of it and the flowers Steve gave me, because they are beautiful...
Afterwards, I left the house, and went to see Mission Impossible III by myself. Now I enjoyed that! I went to the bookstore and picked up a novel (it was good, too!), then sat in a coffee shop and had a Cafe Mocha and read a book for awhile. Finally I packed it up, and by then it was raining again, so I sat in my car in the park in the rain with the engine off, finished my novel, and headed home. It was a quiet Mother's Day, but it really felt very nice. If I'm alone, I'm usually on my way to or from something, or working on something on line, or watching a show, but I NEVER just have a few hours to myself guilt-free to do nothing but relax, and it was a terrific Mother's Day present.
It was also a time I spent reflecting on Mother's Days past. The Mother's Day when I was pregnant with Devon, and he was due at any moment, and I was in a restaurant and a man who was handing out carnations to the moms in the restaurant came up to me, smiled and said "Your baby may not be here yet, but I can tell by your eyes that you are already a Mother. Happy Mother's Day." and handed me a carnation. I suppose it was hormones, but it actually made me cry when I got home, and put it in a vase on my counter. Devon was born before that flower died. The next Mother's Day was my only Mother's Day with my son. He was almost a year old, and I had been told he wouldn't make it there, and he was doing pretty well. I just knew they were wrong, and that I had a lot of time. In reality I had less than a month with him, but I'm glad I didn't know. I was pregnant with his little brother, and he was doing okay, and the sun was shining, and we strapped Devon in his car seat into the back compartment of our Corvette. We decided a car accident was the least of our worries. We took him for a ride, and then we had a picnic at a little reservoir around here. Afterwards we went to the airport and took him up for a plane ride. He was funny. I flew while I was pregnant with him, constantly. In fact, the last time I flew was only 3 days before he was born. I think I spent so much time in planes with him in the womb, that it soothed him. As soon as the engines would start up, that little boy would fall asleep before we'd even left the ground. He did that day as well, and I just watched him sleep as we floated over central Indiana. We landed, went home, had a nice evening, and I told him that next year he'd better stay awake on my special day. Of course I never got to have another with him here. By the next Mother's Day I had lost two boys and had a miscarriage, and I stayed in the house and pretended like it didn't bother me that I wasn't really a "mother" to the world. Kaylee of course came along, but she isn't my only child, and I am not "just" her mother. But I sure am thankful she is here to celebrate with me. :)
Today I got up a bit early, and headed to Kalamazoo, Michigan for a flight for Pizza Hut. Chuck came with me. The weather was blah again. Fairly low ceilings, rain, etc. So it didn't make for a beautiful flight, but the mission was accomplished. While we were there, we went to what is called the "Air Zoo". It's a SPECTACULAR museum. I can't even begin to describe it. It is like a fairyland for aviation fans. I have lots of pictures but don't want to put them all here, so I'll probably put them up on the "Fun Flying Pics" Page up at www.laurastants.com. Check them out! This one is just of me standing in front of a huge wall mural of a hot air balloon. The continuing Adventures of Chuck & Laura. Ha
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Mother's Satur-Day
Today I got to sleep IN! Yeah for RAIN! :) (Rain means nobody was flying!) When I got up at a leisurely hour, I had chocolate and caffeine for breakfast, than sat and read the new James Patterson novel ("Beach Road"). Ahhhhh, what a morning. Kaylee talked about how it was almost Mother's Day, so she ran around the house telling me not to look, and she made up a card for me. It's a Valentine's Day card that she decorated herself today, and then she wrote me a couple of notes in it too. The thing is, she wrote these notes ALL on her own, with no help from anybody on what to say or how to spell.
On the inside she wrote: "I Love You", then "Please Be My Special Mommy", and "Mother's Day". On the back she wrote "To My Mommy, Love Kaylee".
Now how it's REALLY spelled is often just the first letter of the words, or the consonents. For example, "I Love You" was "I LV You", and "Please Be My Special Mommy" was "Ples B M Spsl Mommy". "Mother's Day" was "Mthrsdy". "To My Mom, Love Kaylee" was spelled "To M Mom Lve Kaylee". Now it may just be me, but I think it's totally sweet!! I was very impressed that she came up with what she did on her own and I'm keeping this! Tomorrow I'll open the gift she made for me. And take a picture, of course! :)
It's officially Mother's Day now, though I'm really still up from Saturday. So let me say, Happy Mother's Day to the wonderful moms in my life, including my own of course!
On the inside she wrote: "I Love You", then "Please Be My Special Mommy", and "Mother's Day". On the back she wrote "To My Mommy, Love Kaylee".
Now how it's REALLY spelled is often just the first letter of the words, or the consonents. For example, "I Love You" was "I LV You", and "Please Be My Special Mommy" was "Ples B M Spsl Mommy". "Mother's Day" was "Mthrsdy". "To My Mom, Love Kaylee" was spelled "To M Mom Lve Kaylee". Now it may just be me, but I think it's totally sweet!! I was very impressed that she came up with what she did on her own and I'm keeping this! Tomorrow I'll open the gift she made for me. And take a picture, of course! :)
It's officially Mother's Day now, though I'm really still up from Saturday. So let me say, Happy Mother's Day to the wonderful moms in my life, including my own of course!
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Graduation Day!
Well, today was it! I dropped Kaylee off at Preschool for her last morning there. When I picked her up, we went to the airport and did the Friday Lunch thing. I was planning on taking her home early so she'd rest for tonight's graduation, but she was playing SO well with one of the kids there that I just didn't want to disturb it. We finally left in time to come home, change clothes, and go to graduation. Not the best plan, but it worked out. She was kind of tired, but she did pretty well for an hour and a half long event in a noisy room after a busy day. May I say she looked pretty cute in her outfit, too? :) Her class was in purple, the 3-day class was in gold. I'll have most of the photos up on her website tonight.Let's see. Steve and I got to preschool in plenty of time to get a seat in the front of the auditorium so I could be close enough to get decent flash pictures. The room is a disaster as far
as lighting goes. It's dim, it's yellowish, and there is a stained glass window in the background that whites out everything in front of it. It's got to be impossible to get nice photos in there. I just tried to avoid the window and use the flash as much as I could...Anyway! The three classes (3-4 year olds, and then the 3 day class of Pre-K and then the 5 day class of Pre-K) all did little programs showing what they'd learned through the year. It was pretty cute. Kaylee's class did the alphabet in sign language along with a song they learned, they counted to 50 (she can go to 100 and beyond but who wants to sit there that long?) ;), they sang a song all in Spanish about all their body parts, and one boogie song. (You wouldn't think a Quaker school would have a boogie Christian Rock song, but they surely did and it was pretty cute, too.)There was one little girl in Kaylee's class who kept trying to take over the microphone. Her classmate who was supposed to be in front of it kept shooting her these disgusted looks, and she grabbed onto it like a rock singer and went for it. Her family was snickering, and it WAS funny. It was the only thing I found funny about her family, but I'll leave that one right there. :) Another little boy in the middle of a song, went right up to the mic, and sounding like a professional DJ said "Hello, Folks!" Cracked us all up. There's one picture I'll post on her site or
here or somewhere that shows her glaring at the boy next to her. She's got what my friends call "The Laurie Look". The ability to drill holes through somebody with a single glare. It's sooo funny to see that look on her face.She did pretty well tonight, even tired. She did get off her stage and go behind everybody for the last song of the night, and wouldn't stop messing with her hat, but she did it! Each child was then given a carnation and a certificate that they went and presented to their family, then went back up on stage. Funnily enough, her class was supposed to do a class graduation photo afterwards. I just snapped as it was, because there was no chance on this green earth of getting them all to sit still and look at me (or anyone else) all at one time.
In fact, here's my mini rant for the night. There were kids sitting in the middle of the aisle, lying on their stomachs on the floor in the aisle. And it was SO LOUD in there. Everybody talking, laughing, kids whining/crying (not the ones up front!), etc. Grownups wandering around the aisles to get the best picture shots, standing in front of the whole group, blocking the shots for everybody else. I just wanted to stand up with a
bullhorn and tell everybody to get their kids under control, get OUT of the aisle, SIT DOWN and BE QUIET! Have a little respect! By the time the program was over, I was about to jump out of my skin. I can't take that kind of mayhem.My picture of Kaylee coming down the aisle is blurred because I couldn't get around the kids in the middle of the aisle and because she walked so fast my camera didn't focus on her. But I got a couple of okay shots of her anyway, and they'll go up on her website. Afterwards we went downstairs and had purple cupcakes and roasted nuts and punch, took a final goodbye photo with Mrs. Rivers, her teacher, and came on home.
By the way--you know your child has a good teacher, when at year's end, she is sad and teary, not grumpy and celebrating that it's over. Kaylee has a wonderful teacher.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Princess Day
Ah, today was the 2nd to last Pre-K day. Kaylee dressed as Cinderella, but of course I didn't have my card in my camera when I took the picture of her that morning. *smacks self in head*. When I went to pick her up, she was pretty worn out, but we went to lunch with Steve and then came home and rested. She has the craziest conversations with me sometimes. One made me laugh earlier and I can't remember it! I hate that... Then I was watching Oprah (which I usually can't watch with Kaylee up because Oprah's content is too rough for her right now lately.) But today's wasn't bad. There was a very large lady on stage, and Kaylee looked at me and said "She's very...cushy...isn't she." I opened my mouth and she said "I didn't want to say the bad word." She leans in to me and whispers "fat" in my ear. I said "Right, that is not a nice word to use at all, is it. Besides, we all come in different shapes and sizes, and our size doesn't make us a good or bad person, right?" She said "Right". (Oh! I just remembered what made me laugh!) She said "Big tummies can still be nice people." I said "Yes, and people with tiny tummies can be icky people, and that's not any good. It's more important who you are than what you look like, right?" Here I thought maybe I could reinforce a conversation we've had several times. Instead, she looks at me and says "Right. And all Princesses have little tummies. They must go Pooey ALL the time!" See, when she gets stopped up a bit, her tummy distends, and when she goes #2, her tummy flattens out. So she assumes that since the Princesses all have flat tummies, they must all poop a lot. Frankly, I think she's on to something.
Ha.
Then this afternoon her next-door-neighbor-friend Nicole came over. Kaylee is doing a great job trying to teach her manners and patience and sharing. She says she is the bigger kid and so she's 'responsible'. I rarely hear them have a problem, even though the other girl is both a year younger, not overly verbal, and has some manners issues. :) It's been good for Kaylee in a way, it makes her feel older and in charge, and she's had to sacrifice what she's wanted several times in order to do it...
I'll try to post some pics of Kaylee's graduation tomorrow night! Here's hoping she sings nice and loudly!
Ha.
Then this afternoon her next-door-neighbor-friend Nicole came over. Kaylee is doing a great job trying to teach her manners and patience and sharing. She says she is the bigger kid and so she's 'responsible'. I rarely hear them have a problem, even though the other girl is both a year younger, not overly verbal, and has some manners issues. :) It's been good for Kaylee in a way, it makes her feel older and in charge, and she's had to sacrifice what she's wanted several times in order to do it...
I'll try to post some pics of Kaylee's graduation tomorrow night! Here's hoping she sings nice and loudly!
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Beach Day!
This morning Kaylee woke up bright and early and donned her Hello Kitty short shorts and tank top, slipped on her flip-flop shoes, grabbed her Princess beach towel, had a few minutes of anger that none of her sunglasses were 'perfect', had her hair up in a beach ponytail, and then headed out the door to have "Beach Day" at preschool. Pretty cute, actually. :) She had a blast, and came home carrying her left-over school supplies and a "Mother's Day" present I'm dying to open but won't. Friday is her last day of school, and that evening is graduation. Tomorrow is supposed to be a practice for graduation day, and they can dress as a "friendly character" like for Halloween. I'm sorry, but my creativity died with Beach Day, I can't think of a "friendly character" and I'm not going to go buy one. So she's going to go as a friendly princess. Quite a reach, I know. ;)
Today in the car, Kaylee was asking me about how our bodies grow, and she asked if we just stretched or if our bones really grew. I told her that our bones and muscles really did grow, and she paused and said "Except for our heads, right?" I said "Well, your head will keep growing too until it's a grown-up size." She said "But it won't KEEP growing, it won't get like HUENORMOUS, right?" I love that word, huenormous. I asked her if she'd ever seen any
person with a huenormous head, and she said "Only the 'Bratz' dolls, mom." So we agreed, the head won't keep growing freakishly large. :)
She also has a fairly new habit of spending up to an hour in front of the mirror getting herself fancied up. I don't know what all she does there, I can't stand to stay there that long. But she puts on various lotions, potions, sparkling things, polishes, and sprays, until she feels she's done. Luckily she doesn't HAVE to do it to feel pretty or anything, she just likes messing around with my stuff. And I wonder yet again where she comes from sometimes!
The other day her friend from next door came over, and they played for a couple of hours. This time they hoarded up in Kaylee's room, and when I went in they were both in gymnastics outfits. Man, Kaylee looks so big in this picture! They're kinda cute though, I admit. Look at the bruises and scrapes on their legs. Kaylee looks like a beaten child from the knee down!
Saturday at the airport while I was goofing around in airplanes,
this was Kaylee & friend G (not sure they want her name here so I won't) posing on the runway marker. There's a cute photo of the two of them that I'll post on Kaylee's site, but this, I had to put this one here. Note the pose, the attitude? Yep... Well, it kind of looks like she needs to go potty, but she's hitting a 'fancy' pose. She is also responsible for that hair. She likes to put her own baretts in now, all over her head. It looks rather...interesting, but she feels beautiful that way, so by george, beautiful she is! Besides, who am I to say, I can't fix hair if somebody paid me. :)
And last but not least, today at lunch I found out I get to take a flight to California then Las Vegas in mid-June, maybe in the Cheyenne. I look forward to it!
Today in the car, Kaylee was asking me about how our bodies grow, and she asked if we just stretched or if our bones really grew. I told her that our bones and muscles really did grow, and she paused and said "Except for our heads, right?" I said "Well, your head will keep growing too until it's a grown-up size." She said "But it won't KEEP growing, it won't get like HUENORMOUS, right?" I love that word, huenormous. I asked her if she'd ever seen any
person with a huenormous head, and she said "Only the 'Bratz' dolls, mom." So we agreed, the head won't keep growing freakishly large. :)She also has a fairly new habit of spending up to an hour in front of the mirror getting herself fancied up. I don't know what all she does there, I can't stand to stay there that long. But she puts on various lotions, potions, sparkling things, polishes, and sprays, until she feels she's done. Luckily she doesn't HAVE to do it to feel pretty or anything, she just likes messing around with my stuff. And I wonder yet again where she comes from sometimes!
The other day her friend from next door came over, and they played for a couple of hours. This time they hoarded up in Kaylee's room, and when I went in they were both in gymnastics outfits. Man, Kaylee looks so big in this picture! They're kinda cute though, I admit. Look at the bruises and scrapes on their legs. Kaylee looks like a beaten child from the knee down!
Saturday at the airport while I was goofing around in airplanes,
this was Kaylee & friend G (not sure they want her name here so I won't) posing on the runway marker. There's a cute photo of the two of them that I'll post on Kaylee's site, but this, I had to put this one here. Note the pose, the attitude? Yep... Well, it kind of looks like she needs to go potty, but she's hitting a 'fancy' pose. She is also responsible for that hair. She likes to put her own baretts in now, all over her head. It looks rather...interesting, but she feels beautiful that way, so by george, beautiful she is! Besides, who am I to say, I can't fix hair if somebody paid me. :)And last but not least, today at lunch I found out I get to take a flight to California then Las Vegas in mid-June, maybe in the Cheyenne. I look forward to it!
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Silly Hat Day
This is the last week of preschool, so every day is something different. Today was "Silly Hat Day". Except I went to put a silly hat on Kaylee, and she wouldn't even set it on her head. She instead insisted on wearing a matching jean and red/white checkered hat to go with her jean, red/white outfit. I tried to explain it was SILLY hat day, but she was having nothing to do with it. The princess had to go in a fashionable hat. Sometimes I'm not quite sure where she comes from! :)
I had a quick flight this morning in the Baron, and have been working on the computer most of the evening. My send mail through Insight is STILL not working after almost 2 weeks now, and I'm ready to strangle them. And that's about it! Staying busy!
I had a quick flight this morning in the Baron, and have been working on the computer most of the evening. My send mail through Insight is STILL not working after almost 2 weeks now, and I'm ready to strangle them. And that's about it! Staying busy!
Monday, May 08, 2006
PJ Day
Today was Pajama Day at preschool. So Kaylee trotted off to school in Princess pajamas wearing Princess fuzzy slippers and carrying her Princess fuzzy blanket. When she got home, she stayed with Grandma & Grandpa while Steve and I went to Sheridan Airport and gave a tour and rides to a group of homeschoolers. I didn't tell them it was my second landing ever in that plane and that I'd just seen it for the first time close up about 20 minutes before they got there. Didn't think that would be confidence inspiring. ;) Don't worry, it was fine!
Home again to pick up Kaylee and off to a small restaurant to celebrate a student's successful Commercial Pilot Checkride this afternoon! Home and working on the Poker Run info, and I'm tired! :)
Home again to pick up Kaylee and off to a small restaurant to celebrate a student's successful Commercial Pilot Checkride this afternoon! Home and working on the Poker Run info, and I'm tired! :)
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Lazy Day
Today we stayed home, Steve took off work, and we just cooked a bit, cleaned a bit, did a bit of yard work, and hung out. Kaylee got to play with her friend for awhile before bedtime, and we had a little fire in the back yard (in an appropriate recepticle of course!). Supper with family, a bit of upset stomach on my part (NOT related to supper!), and a beautiful weather day, and that sums it up! It's almost midnight, so I'd like to wish my mom a Happy Birthday! :)
Kaylee graduates from Pre-K with a cap and gown and program and all May 12th at 6:30 pm. She's been secretive about what is planned, so I look forward to the program and seeing her walk down the aisle dressed up and singing in front of the school group! I will try to get pictures, of course!
One Kaylee story from a few days ago. She went flying with her daddy, and she told him in all seriousness that she wanted to land. It was a bit of a crosswindy day, but she had it all the way down final. He'd tell her to go left, right, up or down as needed, and she'd quickly do it. He said at the end he put the aileron into the wind and he had the power and rudders, but she did all the "steering" all the way down. Then she asked me if I liked her landing or not, because it was kind of bumpy. I told her that I thought it was an excellent landing! (It actually was, the bumps were from the runway, not from a bounce.) She returned the favor a couple of days later. When I landed a little long in the Citabria and that guy got on the radio and commented that it was a little floaty, Kaylee got on the radio next, and her words were "Your landing looked really good, Mommy!"
Thank you dear, I love you too! :)
Kaylee graduates from Pre-K with a cap and gown and program and all May 12th at 6:30 pm. She's been secretive about what is planned, so I look forward to the program and seeing her walk down the aisle dressed up and singing in front of the school group! I will try to get pictures, of course!
One Kaylee story from a few days ago. She went flying with her daddy, and she told him in all seriousness that she wanted to land. It was a bit of a crosswindy day, but she had it all the way down final. He'd tell her to go left, right, up or down as needed, and she'd quickly do it. He said at the end he put the aileron into the wind and he had the power and rudders, but she did all the "steering" all the way down. Then she asked me if I liked her landing or not, because it was kind of bumpy. I told her that I thought it was an excellent landing! (It actually was, the bumps were from the runway, not from a bounce.) She returned the favor a couple of days later. When I landed a little long in the Citabria and that guy got on the radio and commented that it was a little floaty, Kaylee got on the radio next, and her words were "Your landing looked really good, Mommy!"
Thank you dear, I love you too! :)
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Work Out!
Saturday-usually it's a day Steve works all day and Kaylee and I stay home and do nothing basically. Chill out, relax, watch cartoons (not me), play with a friend outside maybe, but other than that, nothing interesting. Today Kaylee and I headed out to Glenndale around 9:30 a.m. and we just got home at past 9 p.m. She played outside all day long, got sunburned (didn't expect to be there all day like that!), got tons of exercise, and had a blast.
Me, I really enjoyed the day too! More flying stuff. Went and got the Baron and brought it into Glenndale so it could be washed, and practiced 3 take offs and landings there...something I don't typically do for one of the first times in front of a group of people. A bit later I took up the Citabria and did about 6 takeoffs and landings in it. The winds were kind of wonky today and I actually had to work at these landings, and that was great practice for me. After one landing, a guy inside got on the radio and said "Kind of long and floaty, wasn't it" and I said something like "tell me about it"...then went around again and landed it right at the end of the runway. When I got out, he said something about it being one of the shortest landings he'd ever seen out there, and I said "Float That." ;)
All that concentration wore me out, actually, and I relaxed for awhile, until it was time to take
up a couple of guys for a short ride in the Baron. We took off out of there, I showed them how some of the equipment worked, then I did a low pass at Glenndale. Man, that was funny. The guy in the front seat was saying something like "holy crap" when we got down low, and then I said "hang on" and pulled it up pretty heavily and banked it around, and they were both screaming/yelling. Completely cracked me up, and it was fun. Landed that, and then I got the chance to go up in the Decathlon and fly it from the back seat-something else I really did need practice in. You can't see squat from the back seat of these taildraggers.
But while we were getting ready to go up, Greg A. had out his PJ and we did some loose formation flying down the runway to say hello. Then I went over to Sheridan to practice my back seat takeoffs and landings. Which thankfully went very well also. Came back into Glenndale when it was over, and I now sported a tension headache from focusing so much and concentrating, but a Diet Mt. Dew and 3 Tylenol later, and after a bit of hamburger for supper, I was doing well and it was finally time to take the Baron back to Kokomo. Chuck and I were "racing", and he took off first in his Citabria, and I followed close behind. Of course I blew past him and landed first, but he tricked me--I landed nice and short so I could get off the runway so he could get in right behind me, but instead, he landed halfway down the runway and pulled off of onto the taxiway in front of me, so he ended up pulling up to the hangar first. Technically the Citabria beat the Baron home. :) So all in all, it was a fun flying day for me, I got to practice some things I needed to practice, and I had a great time in the process.
Meanwhile, Kaylee was running around on a 4-
wheeler (kid size, not adult size!), playing with friends when they'd stop over, running around with the guys, playing in the grass and in water and with everything around, and she just had a blast of a day. Steve flew with some students, did some groundschool for a guy's checkride, and tried to work as best he could! It was about a perfect Saturday!
Me, I really enjoyed the day too! More flying stuff. Went and got the Baron and brought it into Glenndale so it could be washed, and practiced 3 take offs and landings there...something I don't typically do for one of the first times in front of a group of people. A bit later I took up the Citabria and did about 6 takeoffs and landings in it. The winds were kind of wonky today and I actually had to work at these landings, and that was great practice for me. After one landing, a guy inside got on the radio and said "Kind of long and floaty, wasn't it" and I said something like "tell me about it"...then went around again and landed it right at the end of the runway. When I got out, he said something about it being one of the shortest landings he'd ever seen out there, and I said "Float That." ;)All that concentration wore me out, actually, and I relaxed for awhile, until it was time to take
up a couple of guys for a short ride in the Baron. We took off out of there, I showed them how some of the equipment worked, then I did a low pass at Glenndale. Man, that was funny. The guy in the front seat was saying something like "holy crap" when we got down low, and then I said "hang on" and pulled it up pretty heavily and banked it around, and they were both screaming/yelling. Completely cracked me up, and it was fun. Landed that, and then I got the chance to go up in the Decathlon and fly it from the back seat-something else I really did need practice in. You can't see squat from the back seat of these taildraggers.
But while we were getting ready to go up, Greg A. had out his PJ and we did some loose formation flying down the runway to say hello. Then I went over to Sheridan to practice my back seat takeoffs and landings. Which thankfully went very well also. Came back into Glenndale when it was over, and I now sported a tension headache from focusing so much and concentrating, but a Diet Mt. Dew and 3 Tylenol later, and after a bit of hamburger for supper, I was doing well and it was finally time to take the Baron back to Kokomo. Chuck and I were "racing", and he took off first in his Citabria, and I followed close behind. Of course I blew past him and landed first, but he tricked me--I landed nice and short so I could get off the runway so he could get in right behind me, but instead, he landed halfway down the runway and pulled off of onto the taxiway in front of me, so he ended up pulling up to the hangar first. Technically the Citabria beat the Baron home. :) So all in all, it was a fun flying day for me, I got to practice some things I needed to practice, and I had a great time in the process.Meanwhile, Kaylee was running around on a 4-
wheeler (kid size, not adult size!), playing with friends when they'd stop over, running around with the guys, playing in the grass and in water and with everything around, and she just had a blast of a day. Steve flew with some students, did some groundschool for a guy's checkride, and tried to work as best he could! It was about a perfect Saturday!
Friday, May 05, 2006
What a zoo!
Today we got up early, and Kaylee and I drove to Indianapolis to go to the Zoo with her Pre-K class. Actually, three Preschool classes at once. About 80 people total. The paper said "Be there by 9:15 a.m. so we can all go in together." So I got there at 9:10 a.m. And by 9:40 a.m. we were still standing outside with boatloads of children waiting for some people to get there so we could go in. So my mini rant for the day is about the inconsideration of late people. A handful of people held up 80 because they didn't set their alarm early enough. Get somewhere on time-my time is just as important to me as yours is to you. 'Nough said.
After we got in finally, we went to the Dolphin show, and that was pretty neat! Great backdrops (that's this picture), fun tricks, and the kids loved sitting in the "Splash Zone" and getting wet. :)
Kaylee and I went and got lunch, went on the carousel, checked out some animals, and drove back to the airport after a long but fun morning at the zoo! Zoo pictures up on her site later, of course!
I was feeling kind of jittery/twitchy, so Chuck and I went up in the Citabria, pictured here finally! That always helps. Flying along in the Citabria with an open window and a great view is something that always just relaxes me. It's not the thrill and speed of some of the other airplanes, it's not the 'norm' of the trainers, it's just...relaxing. I enjoy it.
And after a rootbeer float and some time sitting, I felt much better. Had a flight with a student later that afternoon in a C-172, first time in one of those in a while! Supper, bath (for child) and relaxing tv and I'm done for the day. :)
After we got in finally, we went to the Dolphin show, and that was pretty neat! Great backdrops (that's this picture), fun tricks, and the kids loved sitting in the "Splash Zone" and getting wet. :)
Kaylee and I went and got lunch, went on the carousel, checked out some animals, and drove back to the airport after a long but fun morning at the zoo! Zoo pictures up on her site later, of course!
I was feeling kind of jittery/twitchy, so Chuck and I went up in the Citabria, pictured here finally! That always helps. Flying along in the Citabria with an open window and a great view is something that always just relaxes me. It's not the thrill and speed of some of the other airplanes, it's not the 'norm' of the trainers, it's just...relaxing. I enjoy it.
And after a rootbeer float and some time sitting, I felt much better. Had a flight with a student later that afternoon in a C-172, first time in one of those in a while! Supper, bath (for child) and relaxing tv and I'm done for the day. :)
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Today...
After I dropped Kaylee off at Preschool, I dropped off one of my last batches of medical files, then booked it out to Kokomo Airport. Got the Baron out, flew into Glenndale, picked up Steve, and we went to Muncie. Picked up Jim and Don in Muncie, flew some approaches at Kokomo, then landed at Glenndale again to drop off Jim and Don. Flew back to Kokomo, left the Baron on the ramp, hopped in my car, picked up Kaylee. Ran Kaylee Back to Glenndale airport, drove like crazy back out to Kokomo to meet Nathan. We hopped in the Baron and flew Back to Muncie, where he picked up the Aerostar. I flew back to Kokomo, put away the Baron, then moved out a Lance and the Cheyenne from the hanger, put the Aerostar in the back and put everything else back. I run back out to Glenndale Airport, and I'm there talking to students and such until 7:30 pm or so, when I take Kaylee home finally, feed her supper and put her to bed so that hopefully she will be rested up for her big day tomorrow--Zoo trip in Indianapolis! I'm supposed to take her to the zoo in the morning, come back for lunch, fly to Huntington with Nathan, then get to Sheridan in time to fly with a student.
Sounds crazy, doesn't it! I guess that's my point of writing it down. lol
Oh, and I did two loads of laundry and the dishes. ;) That's about it around here! Now off to eat some food and get ready for tomorrow!
Sounds crazy, doesn't it! I guess that's my point of writing it down. lol
Oh, and I did two loads of laundry and the dishes. ;) That's about it around here! Now off to eat some food and get ready for tomorrow!
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Awana
Well, tonight was Kaylee's last night at Awana for the season. They'll start back up in September, but for now she's done. She finished her book, so she got a certificate and a little bear, and a couple extra patches for her vest. Tonight was an awards 
ceremony, and her class was first. They were pretty cute, actually. I'll post the three pictures I took on her website, but here she is getting her certificate tonight. :)
Afterwards we had snacks in the gymnasium, and she played for the last time with her friend Riley. I think she'll come to like Awanas, though I'm not sure, because she and I seem to be opposite personalities and I did like it. Learning verses for her is something she tolerates while I tended to plow through them no problem. We'll see I guess. She'll probably enjoy the running part of it more when they start in on the physical activities. :)
Friday we head to the zoo with her preschool class, and coming up is pre-K graduation, and then school is over, Awanas is over, and summer has officially started!
ceremony, and her class was first. They were pretty cute, actually. I'll post the three pictures I took on her website, but here she is getting her certificate tonight. :)Afterwards we had snacks in the gymnasium, and she played for the last time with her friend Riley. I think she'll come to like Awanas, though I'm not sure, because she and I seem to be opposite personalities and I did like it. Learning verses for her is something she tolerates while I tended to plow through them no problem. We'll see I guess. She'll probably enjoy the running part of it more when they start in on the physical activities. :)
Friday we head to the zoo with her preschool class, and coming up is pre-K graduation, and then school is over, Awanas is over, and summer has officially started!
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Airplane Pictorial
Laura's Life Lessons for the Day
Three things I already knew but just got reaffirmed for myself today:
1. If you force yourself to do 45 push-ups when your arms originally gave out after 15, the next day you will have things on you hurt that you wouldn't think should be associated with push-ups.
2. Practicing Instrument Approaches in Actual conditions is the way it should be done. There's a big difference between practicing something knowing it's a clear day vs knowing you really are in the clouds and really DO have to get it down. And Hand-fly some of them.
3. Licking 100 envelopes in a row sticks your tongue to your teeth, the roof of your mouth, probably adds a bunch of calories to your day, and tastes nasty to boot!
1. If you force yourself to do 45 push-ups when your arms originally gave out after 15, the next day you will have things on you hurt that you wouldn't think should be associated with push-ups.
2. Practicing Instrument Approaches in Actual conditions is the way it should be done. There's a big difference between practicing something knowing it's a clear day vs knowing you really are in the clouds and really DO have to get it down. And Hand-fly some of them.
3. Licking 100 envelopes in a row sticks your tongue to your teeth, the roof of your mouth, probably adds a bunch of calories to your day, and tastes nasty to boot!
Monday, May 01, 2006
By the way...
I was watching Oprah today, and it was about our health, aging, etc. She had "Doctor Oz" on, and he flippantly threw out that every woman age 30 should be able to do 45 (girl style) push-ups. And that with every decade above that, it would be five fewer. So 40-year-olds should do 40, 50-year-olds do 35, etc. Well, I promptly dropped and gave him...15. After 15 (no cheating ones) my arms gave out, so I rested for about 10 minutes, did 10 more, etc. until finally I got 45 push-ups in. Now 30 minutes later my arms STILL feel like noodles. I don't think that's what he had in mind. I think I have another goal to reach. Fifteen pushups is pathetic! My legs are doing well from all the walking, but obviously it's time to do a bit of strength training. And I used to be so strong! *sigh* I'm going to see if I can keep up the pushups until I build up some upper body strength again. Good for bone density anyway, since supposedly you start losing that around age 30...
Today I also got notice that my medical file jobs are going to be ending in the next 2-3 weeks. Unfortunately they are getting more efficient and will be going to an eletronic medical records system, which makes what I've been doing obsolete. I'm kind of bummed about that because it was an easy way to bring in some extra income, and I actually rather enjoyed it. Ah, well, I'm glad that I got to do it at all. :)
Today Kaylee and I made chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. I had to use my smaller glass mixing bowl, because a few weeks ago I was standing there, had been putting some things away, and suddenly a shelf gave way and 3 glass measuring cups and 4 glass bowls all started crashing down around my head. I managed to catch everything--except the biggest glass bowl. It bounced off my shoulder, hit the top of the stove, taking out a large chunk of that, and then hit the floor where it shattered into a million, and I do not exaggerate, million tiny slivers/pieces. The biggest piece of glass left was about the size of my fist, the rest were tiny. Kaylee was standing thankfully out of the way with her mouth hanging open, and I was standing there in stocking feet surrounded by glass. She was waiting to see how I'd react to that one, I could tell! I actually ended up kind of laughing, something I often do at inappropriate moments. :) I told her to stay clear of the room, and proceeded to try to clean up. Two bloody feet later, I swept the floor twice the first day and every day after that, and still found glass for days afterwards. Kaylee ended up getting two slivers in her feet, tiny little needle-like slivers, and we all wore socks or slippers for a few days. I've never seen anything shatter quite that impressively, I have to admit. But now I'm missing my best, biggest bowl, and every time I cook something (once every few months, ha), I miss it!
And my arms are STILL noodly. Oh now that is SAD...
Today I also got notice that my medical file jobs are going to be ending in the next 2-3 weeks. Unfortunately they are getting more efficient and will be going to an eletronic medical records system, which makes what I've been doing obsolete. I'm kind of bummed about that because it was an easy way to bring in some extra income, and I actually rather enjoyed it. Ah, well, I'm glad that I got to do it at all. :)
Today Kaylee and I made chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. I had to use my smaller glass mixing bowl, because a few weeks ago I was standing there, had been putting some things away, and suddenly a shelf gave way and 3 glass measuring cups and 4 glass bowls all started crashing down around my head. I managed to catch everything--except the biggest glass bowl. It bounced off my shoulder, hit the top of the stove, taking out a large chunk of that, and then hit the floor where it shattered into a million, and I do not exaggerate, million tiny slivers/pieces. The biggest piece of glass left was about the size of my fist, the rest were tiny. Kaylee was standing thankfully out of the way with her mouth hanging open, and I was standing there in stocking feet surrounded by glass. She was waiting to see how I'd react to that one, I could tell! I actually ended up kind of laughing, something I often do at inappropriate moments. :) I told her to stay clear of the room, and proceeded to try to clean up. Two bloody feet later, I swept the floor twice the first day and every day after that, and still found glass for days afterwards. Kaylee ended up getting two slivers in her feet, tiny little needle-like slivers, and we all wore socks or slippers for a few days. I've never seen anything shatter quite that impressively, I have to admit. But now I'm missing my best, biggest bowl, and every time I cook something (once every few months, ha), I miss it!
And my arms are STILL noodly. Oh now that is SAD...
Eeeeeew!!
So, today's "Kaylee story". After I picked her up from Preschool, we went out to lunch with Steve and two airport guys at Applebees. She's been having an issue lately of having to go potty all the time, and she needed to go three times there at the restaurant. I let her go alone the last two times because I could see the bathroom and door from my seat, that no-one had been in since we had and not come back out, etc. So the last time back, Kaylee says "Look what I found on the sink, Mommy!" I see a white tube, and I can't quite figure it out until I grab it and realize that it is a Tampon Insertion Tube. *Somebody* placed and left a used tampon cardboard tube on the bathroom sink of a public restroom just in time for my daughter to find it, think it was interesting, and bring it back to the lunch table for us to see. I'm afraid I spent more time laughing than I did being grossed out, and Steve, who saw what it was too, told her to go quietly throw it in the trash can and wash her hands. Now there's one you don't see every day...and might I add...EEEEW!!
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