Earning My Wings

by Jason

From looking at my flight log, you'd notice the last time I went flying was November, 2002. 3 years since my last flight. You know that feeling when you try to start something up again? That funny little feeling in your stomach along with the voice in your head that questions your ability to pick up where you left off? It's no fun getting into a plane with that feeling. Try not driving for a month and hop back behind the wheel.

I finally made it back up in the air this morning. I have a new instructor, Simon, whom I used to work with back at Sun. I think this is going to be a great fit. I have had instructors with whom I simply did not get along, and I'm sure you can imagine how that turns out. I had a little trouble with some crosswind landings out at Erie (48v), but coming back to Jeffco (BJC) seemed much better. A little too much flare at first, but we were coming in a little fast after all. During the flight, there was only one point at which Simon had to take the controls (during the Erie landing).

Some slow flight, stalls (along with a few other maneuvers), and a quick buzz over our home was about all we ended up doing today. 1.7 hours on the Hobbs. It was such a great feeling to get back up in the air, and a great motivator to fly more often. There is something incredibly freeing about being able to fly (although most of my time in the air today I was not very relaxed). I am looking forward to going again very soon, and eventually taking many of you up with me...

Check out more pictures!

Categories: Flying

So Long to Summer

by Erica

As a new school year is quickly approaching, I am faced with the reality of having to say goodbye to the greatest summer thus far. For starters I got to marry my best friend. What an incredible gift marriage is. I had so much fun planning for the wedding, but nothing compares to sharing a home and a life together.

I loved waking up each morning to the feel of Jason kissing me goodbye. I would fall back asleep until he called me when he got to work. Then, I would get out of bed, hop on my computer, watch a bit of the Today show and figure out what I wanted to do that day. I found joy in taking care of the daily house tasks. I felt a weird sense of happiness when my husband would walk into a clean house with dinner on the table.

Well, it is back to work time. I will miss my carefree summer days, but I am ready to do the job that I love. My days and nights will be busy for the next 9 months, but I always have next summer to look forward to.

Categories: Life Musings

Former SGA Videos

by Erica

This post is for those of you who went to Cedarville. My sister sent this link to me yesterday- http://www.sgaville.com/. If you go to the 'life' section you will find SGA videos of when we were in college (Spring Quarter Music Video, Napoleon Basketball, etc.). But first when entering the site, you will find an entertaining game of SGA Hunt-a spin off of Nintendo's Duck Hunt. Oh, how I miss those Cedarville days.

Categories: Fun

Another Room Down

by Jason

Well, that should do it for the summer. There is now only one room in the house that has not been painted from its original white. The office has been done.

See the pictures!

Categories: Home

Never Summer Wilderness

by Jason

We spent a night out in the wilderness with Amy & Collin Sutherland last night. It was great to spend the time with them and for us newlyweds it was our first time camping together.





The boys went with us and loved being out there. They behaved so well, we didn't even have to tie them up!






Erica didn't care for the off-roading too much. I think it had more to do with the fact that we were in her car, though.





It was a great trip, and I think we are going to try going again over Labor Day weekend.

Check Out More Pics!

Categories: Fun Life Outdoors Adventure

An Original Idea

by Jason

I'm still waiting for one... Each time I start to write something, I quickly stop as I realize that I have very little new to say, and hardly anything worth hearing. As I have been reading over my fellow blogger's posts, it seems that others have been experiencing a similar block recently, searching for something brilliant or at least mildly amusing.

So here I am again... Even my lack of originality is unoriginal. Ouch.

But as I write this, it occurs to me that perhaps originallity doesn't come from a single thought or perception. Sure, there are a handful of people in this world that have expressed a singly unique idea, but for the rest of us, our cognition never takes us beyond what has already been said. This thought is often frustrating and depressing. "Don't re-invent the wheel" some say.... "But I wanted to be the one to conceive it" I think back at them.

So where does that leave us? As a collection of uninspired thoughts with aspirations of being something more? Then I read back over this blog. All of it. I actually looked at every post since we started and it happened: an originallity so amazing and awe-inspiring that I may never question my lack thereof again. I didn't read very thoroughly over my past attempts at being thoughtful, but I read every word of the daily activities that Erica and I have done. Those are entirely unique. Not because no one has ever removed toads from a window well or been married before, but because those weave into our memories. Collectively, these memories create our completely original blanket that no one has ever seen before. You'll notice that most of those daily things come from Erica... She's always been the smarter one.

What does this mean for all you readers? You may never read a life-changing thought here, but you will surely be able to watch a life grow. Individual posts may not stand on their own as a captivating article, but collectively, they are nothing short of extraordinary. We invite you to be drawn in.

Now, for all you readers more intelligent than I (no jokes at this point, please), this is very obvious, and again, unoriginal. I'm glad that you see my point.

Categories: Musings

Taking the Time

by Erica

On Sunday we took a beauitful drive through the mountains. As we were driving up Boulder Canyon, I saw so many hiking trails, lakes, hidden spots, etc. I got the strongest urge to want to do everything all at once. I tend to take advantage of all there is to do in Coloroado. Life gets busy and work needs to be done. I don't want to look back and think, "I wish we would have done this or gone there." I hope that we just do it and in the process make a lot of memories so that in 30 years we can say "Oh, remember the time we....."

Categories: Fun Life Musings Outdoors

Mom and Dad Visiting

by Erica

For the next couple of days, mom and dad Linafelter will be in town for their first visit since we have been married. Dad will be working at a Fireman's Convention in Denver, so I am going to put mom to work in my 1st grade classroom:) Mom has been a teacher for years, so she will be a great help to me. We are also going to head to Pearl Street and Colorado Springs while they are here. On Sunday, we have rented a convertible for the day and are going to head up to Estes Park. I hope the weather will be nice. Should be fun!

Categories: Fun Life

The Perseids

by Jason

Every year the Perseids come by in July or August. Well, really, we pass through the tail of the Swift-Tuttle comet. There are only a few comets that our 3rd-rock passes through (out of hundreds of known comets).

The bottom line is, on 12 August, sometime between 2:00 a.m. and dawn (your local time), go outside and look east. Mars will be shining like a brilliant star, the Pleiades will be low on the horizon, and the Perseids will be radiating from Perseus. Or you can just look at the map.

If you are in the city, you can expect to see a few "shooting stars," but for those fortunate enough to be camping or otherwise outside the starlight-draining effect of low-sodium lights scattered about, you are likely to see hundreds of them.

Categories: Space

Recipes Galor

by Jason

What a wife! Erica has been very busy... She has put all of our recipes into an online database. Now, while that seems like something hardly blog-worthy, this is a very cool thing. Rather than rambling on about it, feel free to just check it out. If I go on, I'll most likely embarass myself (or more likely, Erica) by going into too much detail regarding the technical specifics of the system. So with that...
http://recipes.heddings.com/

(feel free to try them out and comment on how they work out for you, or let us know which are your favorite!)

Categories: Web Food

Stuck With No Way Out

by Erica

I walk downstairs to do the laundry and I see a frog jumping up and down. He is stuck in the window well. Interested in how many more might be there, I go to the next window well and I see 4 frogs jumping up and down next to the window. There is even a salamander with them. Curious, I go to the third window well. There are 5 frogs ranging in size and one more salamander. How do they fall down 5 feet and not die? I can’t stand going downstairs and seeing these poor creatures stuck with no way out. I guess I have some rescuing to do today.

Categories: Misc

Happy Birthday and Anniversaries

by Erica

Happy birthday to my sister, Karisa!

2 years ago we celebrated her birthday at this very same spot as the picture to the right (taken in June). There is no better way than to spend your birthday at 12,000 feet above sea level.

If you know Karisa, I am sure she would love a birthday greeting on her blog http://linafelk.blogspot.com/.


Happy Anniversary to our dear friends Steve and Pauline Higgins. They were married 3 years ago today. They now have two of the most precious little girls.




Two more very good friends, Ang and Ryan, were married the exact same day in Michigan. It was an honor to be at this very beautiful wedding.

Categories: Birthday

Pain In The

by Erica

Neck. I have had this terrible pain in my next since Sunday morning. I don't remember doing anything to make it feel like this. I woke up, got out of the shower, and suddenly I couldn't turn my neck. As I have stated in a previous post, I do very strange things in my sleep-so it probably happened then.

I could have gotten rid of this pain 12 hours ago, but I have this strange fear of going to a chiropractor (it's the whole sudden popping of the neck thing). Really, I am stubborn when it comes to going to any doctor. I found out that my self-treatment was the worst thing I could have done for myself. I used a heat pad when I should have iced. I cleaned the house today which I was told just made my neck more inflammed. Since I went in so late today, I have to go back tomorrow for the x-ray results and some treatment. Next time I'll listen to my husband and will go right away.

Categories: Misc