Getting in the Christmas Mood

The last couple days I have been working on care packages and baking. It's a happy happy thing.

Em, Katie and I making icing. ...I think....

Viv doing homework like an awesome student! 

Roasting hotdogs on the back porch

One of my pans of cookies 

The AMAZING turkey soup Aunt Chele and Mom made

More cookies 

Making more cookies....

Icing the cookies 

more icing 

even more icing 

Reg helping 

hehe 

Katie decorating

Me helping? 

Reg and his puppies 

Rachel's box 

Trevor's box part I 

Trevor's box part II 

My USAFA guys' cookies 

Traverse's package 

 ~africa~

I hear the drums echoing tonight
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
She's coming in 12:30 flight
The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation
I stopped an old man along the way,
Hoping to find some long forgotten words or ancient melodies
He turned to me as if to say, Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you

It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had

The wild dogs cry out in the night
As they grow restless longing for some solitary company
I know that I must do what's right
As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti
I seek to cure what's deep inside, frightened of this thing that I've become
 

It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had
 

Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you
 

It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa, I passed some rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa, I passed some rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had...

~toto~ 

letting go [f.r.e.e.d.o.m.]

letting go. it's hard. no matter what you are letting go of. a person. life plans. a relationship. anything. it is hard. it hurts so badly you think you can't handle it. but is freeing. it allows you to be flexible. it opens up options that you couldn't dream are possible. it's a good thing. letting go makes you grow. makes it so that you can't just rely on others. you have to step out there on your own. be responsible. letting go. there is some freedom in it. you just have to simply, let go...

Air Force vs Army week

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qSlWK0EwdQAir Force vs Army week isn't quite as awesome as AF vs Navy week... but hey, it's still a good spirit week, with good videos and missions. So in honor of this special event here is a video.... AF Beat Army!

CyberPatriot

 Tonight was our first CyberPatriot competition. This is my first year being a coach. (read that as moral support, cookie baker, and pizza order-er). It went really well. Both teams were able to finish with 100% completion. (I think that means they both move on....? Like I said I'm new to this...) I love my team. I am coaching the second string, (read as the young upcoming, slightly ADD team). Let's just say I am never bored. Tonight they ate 6 large pizzas, at least 50 cookies and a case or 2 of soda....

My team!

The Phantom Falcons!

Working on the Virtual Machine

Our Team sign...They said it looked like a Falcon... I think that's the sign for Bunny Rabbit....

Major Z's team with my brothers!

The Red Team!

Hard at work....

....they finished in 2 hours and 30 minutes!

Receiving instruction from Joe. 

 It was a good night. I get to see these people at least 3 times a week. They're good kids. They work hard and learn fast.

[under the bridge]

Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner
Sometimes I feel like my only friend
Is the city I live in, the city of angels
Lonely as I am, together we cry

I drive on her streets 'cause she's my companion
I walk through her hills cause she knows who I am
She sees my good deeds and she kisses me windy
I never worried, now that is a lie

I don't ever wanna feel like I did that day
Take me to the place I love, take me all the way
I don't ever wanna feel like I did that day
Take me to the place I love, take me all the way

It's hard to believe that there's nobody out there
It's hard to believe that I'm all alone
At least I have her love, the city she loves me
Lonely as I am, together we cry

I don't ever wanna feel like I did that day
Take me to the place I love, take me all the way
I don't ever wanna feel like I did that day
Take me to the place I love, take me all the way

Under the bridge downtown
Is where I drew some blood
Under the bridge downtown
I could not get enough
Under the bridge downtown
Forgot about my love
Under the bridge downtown
I gave my life away

~red hot chili peppers~ 

Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't. -Margaret Thatcher

USAFA {a haven. a get away.}

okay. to several of my friends USAFA is not a get away or a serene place, but for me it is (usually) relaxing and a wonderfully peaceful place. it's beautiful. it has so much history and tradition. it is one of the most amazing places in the world. i can't express how much i love it there.

The statue of General Risner. It's one of my favorite memorials at the Academy. He has an amazing story. He was an amazing person. A hero in American history. A legend. (yes. I love him.)

A scale model of USAFA in McDermott Library.

This sign made me laugh so hard. It sums up the Academy so well.

The LONG flight of stairs leading up to the special collections. 

 

 

 

 

a replica of the Gutenberg Bible 

Books! I love the smell of libraries!

an amazing mural in Fairchild Hall

Snowy day on base

Memorial at the overlook for General Spaatz

the North Gate

Diamond Lil!

outside of Mitchell Hall. The world's largest dinning facility

Oh yes! It was Navy week!

F-4 Phantom (the one plane I can recognize!) reminds me of NBB and my awesome NBB family.

the stunning chapel.

I love the stained glass

the organ. we got to hear it play that morning. it's spine tingling beautiful.

these are just a couple of my favorite things from the Academy. it's a wonderful place.

photography [an emotional release]

i love taking pictures. it's a way for me to attempt to capture the beauty i see so that i can share it with others. it's quiet. relaxing. soothing. it is one form of art i'm fairly decent at. colorado is an amazing place to live and has so many beautiful things to photograph. i haven't blogged in quiet a while, so here is a random hodge-podge of pictures.

this tree at Garden of the Gods was amazing

Random rock formation at Garden of the Gods

An AMAZING Colorado moon

the pink of the sunset on a perfect Colorado night

the iconic Kissing Camels

dirt :)

 Garden of the Gods is a beautiful place to take pictures and spend time in. (just don't wear dress shoes like I did....)